Removal of medicines from CGHS list – Life saving medicines

Removal of medicines from CGHS list – Life saving medicines

Member of Parliament Shri.Sardar Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa asked some important questions in respect of CGHS beneficiaries regarding the life saving medicines and concerned minister has given reply on this issue as follows…

With a view to streamline the issue of medicines, an Office Memorandum was issued on 25.08.2014. Under the revised guidelines:

1. CGHS provides/ indents Medicines as per the CGHS formulary, which contains 622 branded medicines and 1447 generic medicines.
2. However, anti-Cancer and other related medicines also called Life-saving medicines, approved by Drug Controller General of India for use in India shall continue to be provided on a case to case basis.

The following measures have since been taken to overcome the inconvenience caused to the beneficiaries:

1. Since, many beneficiaries were undergoing treatment and were provided certain Insulin’s and Gliptins for anti-diabetic care, it has been decided to permit issue of such medicines to ensure continuity in treatment even though they are not included in the formulary (as an interim measure till the formulary is revised).
2. The medicines included in the formularies of ESIC(Employees State Insurance Corporation)( 398 generic medicines) and ECHS( Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme) (517 Generic medicines) are also permitted under CGHS as an interim measure.
3. Orders were also issued on 1.10.2014 delegating powers to CMOs i/c for providing essential medicines to CGHS beneficiaries. CMOs i/c can issue / indent medicines costing upto Rs. 1500 per week even though they are not included in any of the above formulates. However, in case the duration of treatment is for more than one week and the cost of medicines is more than Rs.1500/- approval of Additional Director of the concerned CGHS city must be obtained.
4. Medicines are issued for upto three months at a time in case of chronic diseases and upto six months in case of a CGHS beneficiary going abroad. The revised Orders were issued in this regard on 21.10.2014.

What is the procedure for getting life saving drugs ?

In Delhi, they can be got through CGHS Medical Store Depot, Gole Market. In
Wellness Centres of satellite towns of Delhi, NCR these medicines are supplied in the Wellness Centre itself. The authority for these drugs is issued on-line by the CMO I/C of the parent Wellness centre where the patient is registered.

A print out of the authority along with the following documents are to be submitted to the CMO I/C (for beneficiaries registered with Delhi, NCR Wellness Centres), to the Additional Director of MSD in case of beneficiaries registered with other Wellness Centres of Delhi and to Additional Director of city in case of beneficiaries of other cities.

The documents required are:-

• Prescription of specialist. of Govt.Hospital or CGHS approved private Hospital.
• Photocopy of his/ her plastic card (in case of beneficiaries from outside the city, copy of temporary attachment letter from Additional Director of the city (Additional Director, CGHS HQ in case of Delhi) is required to be furnished).
• Copy of permission letter, if his prescription is from CGHS approved private Hospital.
• Utilization certificate in original during subsequent visit.