CGHS likely to lower angioplasty rates

The Centre has planned to bring down the cost of angiogram and angioplasty by 30% as a part of the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS). The Director General of Health Services, Government of India, Dr Jagdish Prasad has recommended revised rates for the two diagnostic procedures.

The Centre has planned to bring down the cost of angiogram and angioplasty by 30% as a part of the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS). The Director General of Health Services, Government of India, Dr Jagdish Prasad has recommended revised rates for the two diagnostic procedures.

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“I’ve recommended Rs 50,000 for angiogram, which costs Rs 80,000 now and Rs 55,000 for angioplasty, which costs Rs 85,000,” said Prasad.

To give a boost to cadaveric organ retrieval in our country, the government is planning to set up a National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) for which a campus has been identified at Safdarjung Hospital.

“The purpose of NOTTO will be networking and coordinating with the donor centres across the country, creating awareness about cadaveric transplant, training the coordinators and maintaining a database system of patients,” said Prasad.

According to him, this will help in keeping track of the number of donors who are willing to donate and the number of patients who require transplant. “The National Information Centre (NIC) has been asked to prepare a blueprint and software for NOTTO,” Prasad added.

“India is way behind when it comes to cadaveric transplant programme. While Spain has the highest number of donors, in India around 0.32 people per million population donate organs. There is a huge gap between demand and supply in our country,” added Prasad.

Meanwhile, the government is mulling to remove from its CGHS panel those hospitals which charge extra to its beneficiaries.