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New Delhi, : In a significant boost to the healthcare infrastructure for insured workers, the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has approved the establishment of 97 new ESI hospitals across the country over the last ten years, Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.
In her written reply, Karandlaje highlighted that the ESIC has been actively setting up new hospitals and dispensaries to cater to the medical needs of workers and their families. Presently, ESIC operates 165 ESI hospitals and 1,590 dispensaries across India, providing comprehensive medical care, including medical attendance, treatment, specialist consultation, drugs, dressings, and hospitalisation.
Cashless Medical Services for Beneficiaries
To ensure uninterrupted medical care for ESI beneficiaries, Karandlaje stated that tie-up arrangements have been made with public and private hospitals for cashless in-patient medical services. “These services can be availed in cases where ESI hospitals or in-house medical facilities are unavailable,” she said.
Major Upgrades and PMJAY Integration
The minister also emphasized the steps taken to improve and upgrade the facilities provided under ESIC. Notably, ESIC has collaborated with the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PMJAY) to provide secondary and tertiary care services to ESI beneficiaries through PMJAY-empanelled hospitals. This integration is particularly significant for areas where ESI medical services are inadequate.
Enhanced Benefits and New Schemes
Karandlaje informed the House about the enhancement in rates for permanent disablement benefits (PDB) and dependents’ benefits (DB) schemes. Additionally, a new scheme has been introduced to provide medical care, including Super Specialty Treatment (SST), for superannuated beneficiaries who had contributed to ESIC but fell out of coverage before retirement.
Digital Reforms for Hassle-Free Services
As part of its modernisation efforts, ESIC has launched an online module to allow insured persons (IPs) to update or edit their particulars and family details. Aadhar-based authentication has also been adopted voluntarily to provide social security benefits, including medical and cash benefits.
Furthermore, an online portal has been introduced for the submission of cash benefit claims under the ESI scheme, ensuring hassle-free and time-efficient services, especially for insured women workers.
A Decade of Progress
The approval of 97 new hospitals and the series of initiatives underscore the Centre’s commitment to strengthening the ESI network and enhancing access to quality healthcare for India’s workforce. The ESIC continues to play a pivotal role in safeguarding the medical needs and welfare of insured persons and their families across the country.
