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New medical hurdles for Delhi-based Air India retirees

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New medical hurdles for Delhi-based Air India retirees
MUMBAI: The Covid second wave has turned Air India retirees dwelling in Delhi into second class residents, so far as medical advantages are involved. They now need to pay and buy their “routine medicines” from one of many airline’s panel chemists after which apply for a reimbursement, which retirees allege, is a course of that takes over a yr. Alternatively, for his or her counterparts in cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Cochin and Trivandrum the airline will house ship their routine medicines, freed from price.
The discrepancy pertains to a selected side of Air India’s Contributory Household Medical Scheme for retirees. Below the scheme, “routine medicines’’ , like these for life-style/power situations like diabetics, thyroid issues, coronary heart illnesses and so on, are paid for by the airline.
“We go to one of many Air India clinics the place the Air India physician makes a prescription of the routine medication, which a panel chemist provides without spending a dime and later claims the quantity from Air India,’’ mentioned an Air India retiree. However up to now few weeks, new, albeit short-term practices have been put in place, primarily based on the town that the retiree resides in. Air India mentioned the short-term observe was necessitated by the Covid second wave that drove up infectivity and fatalities.
Below the brand new scheme of issues, Delhi is the worst metropolis to reside in. On April 26, Air India’s Delhi-based retirees acquired a mail from Dr B Vivekanand, AI common manager-medical stating that the airline has determined to quickly shut down all of the Air India clinics working in varied components of Delhi.
Just one clinic, that in GSD, close to IGIA-Delhi airport, will stay useful. However what was worse was the second a part of the letter. “Contemplating the lockdown, unfold of an infection and difficulties thereof, the retired staff can buy their routine medicines and declare reimbursement…,’’ mentioned the letter, including that the observe will probably be in place until Might 31.
Claiming reimbursement for medicines is simpler mentioned than performed, say Air India retirees. Capt S S Panesar, former Air India director, flight security mentioned: “Many reimbursement declare payments are pending for greater than a yr. How can the airline then inform retirees to buy and submit the invoice for reimbursement after they know its a long-drawn course of? In case I purchase medicines from chemist the identical physician could refuse to clear the invoice saying that he has not authorized these medicines. Why can’t Air India observe the coverage adopted in cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Cochin, Trivandrum and so on.’’
Air India retirees residing in Mumbai, as an example, can get their “routine medicines’’ house delivered for a interval of two months, mentioned Dr. VD Turbadkar, Air India depth common manager-medical companies in a mail despatched on April 22 to Air India’s Mumbai-based retirees. “In view of the pandemic, the AI medical companies division, Mumbai has made association to ship common medicines of retired staff at their residence by the nominated panel medical shops, in seven working days from receiving their e-mails,’’ mentioned the letter.
Capt Panesar mentioned: “The lone functioning Air India clinic, the one in GSD at Delhi airport terminal could be very far off for many retirees. They might want to journey 30-40 kms to succeed in there, which isn’t advisable given the continuing Covid second wave. Why can’t Air India challenge instructions to their panel chemists asking them to offer the routine medication to retirees as per their medical card, on credit score. The chemists can then ship the related claims, as standard, to the airline and receives a commission. This can give aid to retirees who’re very previous.”
Air India in response to a question despatched by TOI mentioned that “the situational context varies from state to state, particularly throughout a pandemic interval like this. Relying on the logistics of assets and infrastructure and the business choice of chemists at totally different cities, the modus operandi of creating medication accessible for workers could differ at occasions.’’
No worker, nonetheless, is denied the medical services beneath any circumstances, the airline assertion mentioned. “In reality, throughout any emergency, staff, each serving and retired, have been shopping for their pressing requirement of medication and are subsequently reimbursed by the corporate on the earliest comfort,” it added.
“Air India has all the time accorded top-most precedence to make sure welfare of its staff, together with the superannuated staff. Medical advantages supplied by Air India to its staff and members of the family as per entitlement match the perfect business requirements and practices. Any choice taken to make sure availability of medicines and different medical services are all the time taken in the perfect curiosity of the staff,’’ it mentioned.

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