Hospitals move to snap ties with ICICI-Lombard

Aizawl, June 9 (UNI) Altogether eight private hospitals in the state today announced their intention to do away with the cash less hospitalisation facilities, mentioned in the Mizoram government-ICICI-Lombard medical insurance agreement, from June 11.

The move was initiated following 'non-payment' of outstanding medical bills by ICICI-Lombard insurance company.

Non Governmental Hospital Association of Mizoram (NGHAM) President Dr Zoliantluanga told newspersons, ''At least 400 unpaid bills, from October, 2006 till February 2007, had gone missing while in the hands of the ICICI-Lombard office in Aizawl and the hospitals have been told to prepare new ones.

''Since we were asked to enclose original copies of the patients' treatment records, it is difficult for us to prepare new bills,'' he said.

Following these missing bills, the hospitals have already lost Rs 40 lakhs, the hospital officials said. With those from hospitals outside Mizoram, the total loss would go over Rs 100 lakhs, they said.

The ICICI-Lombard General Insurance Company, with whom the Mizoram government signed an MoU on September 29, 2006 on medical insurance for government employees, was also accused of changing too often the list of billable cases against the agreement.

Moreover, the company has made 'List of Exclusions' of patients with certain illnesses for which the company refuses to cover the medical bills while there was none of such kind when it had made the agreement with the Mizoram government.

There were also too many deductions from the bills, the NGHAM president said, much to the disappointment of the clients, who, however, could do nothing.

''While the agreement demanded that any bill should be cleared within 26 days of submission, the ICICI-Lombard could not clear even 10 per cent of the bills within the given time,'' Dr Zoliantluanga added.

The private hospitals accused the ICICI-Lombard of ''going against the agreement and altering the terms and conditions without the knowledge of the Mizoram government''.

The hospitals said they had complained to the company's head office and even met Sanjay Dutta, national head for customer service, twice but without positive results.

The hospitals cautioned that the agreement, which will expire on this September end, should not be renewed.

UNI