ASANSOL. The government has initiated an investigation into fake Swasthya Sathi cards. Health Minister Dr. Shardwat Mukherjee stated that no knife or scissors touched the body, yet surgeries were performed. Millions of rupees were withdrawn by showing fake bills. Corruption worth Rs 30 crore is evident, and the probe has begun. Gradually, we will see how much more information comes to light.
Every health insurance has a third party, acting as an intermediary between the insurance company and the customer. This TPA typically handles claim processes on behalf of the insurance company. This TPA is accused of corruption. They threatened nursing homes to extort two to ten percent of Swasthya Sathi funds. If the money was not paid, the payment was withheld. Some health department officials are also involved in this corruption. They illegally approved different packages for various surgeries in every nursing home. This is where the real game was being played. It is alleged that a Rs 40,000 surgery package in Swasthya Sathi was inflated to Rs 2 lakh. A health department official would grant approval and receive a share of the money in return. Accused nursing homes would apply to increase package rates, which were easily approved, and extra funds were distributed on time. Not only that, some nursing homes treated patients under packages not covered by Swasthya Sathi. Patients admitted to the medicine department had their surgeries shown in the medicine department to withdraw funds. According to Dr. Rajiv Pandey, associated with the Association of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes, four members of a family were listed on a Swasthya Sathi card. Meanwhile, one member underwent surgery, while the names of the other three were blocked in the scheme. The remaining family members were allowed to stay in the nursing home like a guest house. Nursing homes inflated a Rs 20,000 surgery bill to Rs 80,000 by showing fake surgeries.
