Advocacy

Violence against doctors:

Violence against doctors is unacceptable and needs to be condemned. Small and medium private healthcare establishments form the bulwark of the health sector. They are, however, isolated and vulnerable to violence. The medical fraternity has become demoralized by the increasing number of attacks on the doctors. This becomes one of the reasons why doctors avoid serving in rural areas.
The prevention of violence against Medicare persons and institutions acts, which have been notified in 19 states in the past ten years have failed to address the issue.
The Supreme Court issued a notice to the government of India to respond to a petition filed by Tamilnadu Chapter of the Association of Healthcare Providers of India (AHPI) to take immediate action against perpetrators indulging in violence against doctors and medical personnel and causing damage to clinical establishments.

Protection against suspension of TNCMCHIS:

Recently the government of Tamilnadu had commissioned a committee to relook into the recently revised minimum wages for hospital employees. AHPI TN had approached the hon. Highcourt praying to include the association in the said committee and to arrive at the decision after doing costing of medical procedures. The hon. Highcourt had ordered an interim junction not to suspend/terminate TN CMCHIS to AHPI TN’s member hospitals.

Recovery of CGHS dues:

AHPI has joined hands with IMA at the National Level to address the issue of huge backlog due to the hospitals by the Govt of India under CGHS on a pan India basis through the press, media, and official channels. CGHS has informed us last week that they have received Rs 730 crore toward clearing the dues. Earlier they had disbursed Rs 250 crore. We will now impress upon the Government the need to initiate and streamline the bidding process for fair rates, where only hospitals carrying out the said procedures should participate in this process. State-wise Coordinators are being appointed to liaise with hospitals. We are simultaneously working with ECHS for similar objectives. ECHS has assured that they will clear pending dues by February 2020.

Revision of GIPSA rates:

AHPI has joined hands with IMA to represent the majority of private healthcare providers across the country. The revision of GIPSA packages for the hospitals already empanelled along with those hospitals yet to be empanelled and empanelment of eligible hospitals are the issues to be addressed. In the view of increasing wages, inflation rate, hospitals find it difficult to render quality service to the GIPSA cardholders with the current existing packages.

GST:

AHPI has sent a representation to the GST council asking to provide clarity and relief with regard to certain aspects relating to the health sector.

TDS:

AHPI-TN is working with a third party consultant to understand the possibility of seeking dispensation of TDS withheld by TPA’s and filing an application with CBDT.

Provision of ramp in hospitals:

As per the directions of the hon. Highcourt, the government of Tamilnadu has instituted an expert committee for inspecting the fire safety arrangements in government and private hospitals and to suggest and assist in the overall safety of hospitals in Tamilnadu.
The Government of Tamilnadu had submitted the final report with the expert committee which indicates that only 34.5% of hospitals have both valid fire safety license and ramp facility in their buildings.
The Government of Tamilnadu is yet to submit the report with the hon. Highcourt and the case is still pending.

Costing of procedures:

AHPI TN had filed a case with the hon. Highcourt of Madras to form a committee to determine the tariff for performing various procedures under TN CMCHIS based on the cost of medical and surgical procedures. The hon. Highcourt of Madras had directed the state health department to consider and pass orders on AHPI TN’s representation.