MEDISEP faces disruption after software update
Thrissur: The MEDISEP insurance scheme, designed to cover the medical expenses of government employees and pensioners, has come to an abrupt halt. Since March 14, hospitals have been unable to upload data to the MEDISEP portal using their login credentials. Calls to the helpline have also gone
Thrissur: The MEDISEP insurance scheme, designed to cover the medical expenses of government employees and pensioners, has come to an abrupt halt. Since March 14, hospitals have been unable to upload data to the MEDISEP portal using their login credentials. Calls to the helpline have also gone
Thrissur: The MEDISEP insurance scheme, designed to cover the medical expenses of government employees and pensioners, has come to an abrupt halt. Since March 14, hospitals have been unable to upload data to the MEDISEP portal using their login credentials. Calls to the helpline have also gone
Thrissur: The MEDISEP insurance scheme, designed to cover the medical expenses of government employees and pensioners, has come to an abrupt halt. Since March 14, hospitals have been unable to upload data to the MEDISEP portal using their login credentials.
Calls to the helpline have also gone unanswered. The MEDISEP cell in Thiruvananthapuram has cited an ongoing software update as the reason for the disruption. Consequently, beneficiaries say they are unable to avail themselves of cashless services.
Under the scheme, hospitals are required to enter details of beneficiaries receiving treatment into the portal within 24 hours. Any delay results in the loss of the cashless treatment facility. With the portal currently offline, many hospitals have been unable to log inpatient details.
When asked for an alternative solution, MEDISEP authorities advised hospitals to submit details via email for the time being. However, hospital authorities said they cannot extend cashless benefits under these conditions and can only process reimbursements once claims are approved. This has forced many beneficiaries to pay upfront for treatments, including surgeries.
According to TC Varghese, district vice president of the Deseeya Adhyapaka Parishad, the MEDISEP nodal cell has stated that there is no definite timeline for restoring the software. Until then, beneficiaries will have to pay in cash for their medical care.
There are approximately 30 lakh beneficiaries under the MEDISEP insurance scheme in the state. Following its announcement in the budget, the second phase of the project commenced on February 1. Basic insurance coverage was increased from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh, while the monthly premium rose from ₹500 to ₹687.
The scheme also promised a year-round call centre facility and a three-tier grievance redressal system.
However, the sudden disruption of services during the second phase has affected a large number of people seeking treatment at private hospitals. Additionally, several hospitals have been excluded from the scheme without prior notice. While 472 private hospitals were included in the first phase, the number has dropped to 433 in the second phase.