Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Government has included oxygen concentrator in the list of artificial organs by amending the UP Government Servants (Medical Care) Rules 2011 after which the serving and retired officers and employees will be able to claim reimbursement by purchasing oxygen concentrator, if required due to health reasons, an official spokesman said here on Thursday.
It may be noted that in view of the oxygen crisis witnessed across the country during the second wave of the coronavirus, the government made serious efforts to ensure that there is no shortage of oxygen in any adverse situation in the state in the future. The government not only set up new oxygen plants in hospitals, but also allowed many companies to convert their units into oxygen plants in an emergency.
Besides, a large quantity of related equipment including an oxygen concentrator, which produces oxygen artificially, was procured. In this series, the government has now decided to reimburse serious patients in need of oxygen concentrators and guidelines have also been issued in this regard.
According to the guidelines issued regarding the purchase of oxygen concentrator and its reimbursement, only claims approved by the doctor concerned on a prescribed application format will be considered. The report of original investigations will also be attached with the application.
This will include a blood gas report of arteries taken in room air in the stable condition of the patient for oxygen concentrator and bi-level ventilators suppliers system. Along with this, a detailed in-lab level-1 polysomnography report will also have to be given for Continuous positive airway pressure and bi-level CPAP.
These machines will be approved by the committee headed by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO).
The government has accepted that all these devices are life saving devices and have a maximum life of 5 years and therefore they can be replaced by the service engineer on providing the certificate of non-repairability of the previous machine after completion of the period.
The beneficiary will also have to give an undertaking regarding non-reimbursement of similar type of equipment in these 5 years. After the utility of the concerned device is over, the beneficiary will have to deposit it with the CMO of the district.
The CMO concerned will ensure to submit it to the Director General, Medical and Health Services Headquarters. This device will not be issued to any other patient. Complete accounts of all such plants will be maintained by the Directorate General.
The government has also set the maximum limit of reimbursement, including Rs 60,000 for oxygen concentrator, Rs 50,000 for CPAP, Rs 80,000 bi-level CPAP and up to Rs 1.20 lakh for bi-level ventilatory system.
This will cover the cost of repair and spare parts of the equipment for 5 years. No separate claim will be entertained for the cost of repairs and spares. For replacement of equipment after 5 years, the same procedure will be applicable which has been prescribed for approval of earlier equipment.
