INDIA: Concession for senior citizens on medical bills

HYDERABAD, India (Siasat Daily), August 31, 2008: A senior citizen who incurs a medical bill of Rs.200,000 at any private hospital will henceforth pay only Rs.160,000 instead of the earlier Rs.180,000. This is the ‘bonanza’ announced by the Andhra Pradesh Private Nursing Homes Association and Indian Medical Association for the aged in Greater Hyderabad. This means that senior citizens visiting the private hospitals and clinics are entitled for a 20 per cent concession on the charges . The announcement came on Saturday at the First Anniversary Celebrations of ‘Aasara’ project initiated by the GHMC in association with Helpage India for the senior citizens of twin cities. Envisaging future growth, the chief guest GHMC Commissioner C.V.S.K. Sarma advised the senior citizens’ associations formed as part of ‘Aasara’ to adopt streetchildren. A health insurance plan will soon be chalked out for the elderly, he announced. Former Chief Secretary J. Harinarayana said the project should be decentralised more by involving larger number of private participants. Additional Commissioner Vani Mohan dwelt on the progress and future plans of ‘Aasara’. Building a database of senior citizens, formation of ten associations in each circle, and insurance coverage and mobile healthcare for the aged constituted part of the proposals. Helpage India donated an ambulance for ‘Aasara’. Senior citizens were felicitated and the physically-challenged received aids and appliances. -Agencies Copyright: The Siasat Daily