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Hurdles In HMO

This is regarding the article ‘Homing In On HMOs’ in your May issue. The HMO service is the best mode of extending healthcare to all in case of country like ours. But will this system work effectively and efficiently is a great question to all.

A case in point is Yeshaswini project in Karnataka-the providers are Narayana Hrudayalaya with Karnataka government. In this, the government issues cards and insurance to the farmers and operations carried out by Narayana Hrudayalaya. I have seen many poor families getting benefit from that, but still there are many issues as the HMO system itself is concerned.

This system faces great hurdles like:

• How to check issue of cards to needy families?
• Who would be the regulatory authority? Is a committee needed?
• Is there proper analysis of actual families and members per family done?
• What about regular check of cards maintenance and renewal by families?
• Healthcare providers should treat such patients equally as other patients.
• Which surgeries to be covered under this health coverage?
• Is the premium to be fixed or will it be increased in future? If yes, then how?
• Choosing of the service providers like which hospital should take the responsibility. If only the government hospitals?
• Will the image of such big hospitals get tarnished by treating Dharavi 'chaal' residents with high income group patients?
• How many are the actual service providers are they sufficient to handle the increased rise in the patient flow? Are they really competent to manage the variety of services required?
• Reimbursement to such hospitals is another big issue? What will be the reimbursement system?

As in Yeshasvini, the FHPL has huge backlog of bill clearance.

There can be umpteen number of issues to a system like HMO. So, we need to do very exhaustive studies for each minutest thing. And especially, the relationship which all the parties are going to carry on should be clearly laid down with special care.

Bipul Kumar Jha
Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital,
Mumbai

NAIHO Would Be Another Important Accreditation

This is with regards to the interview "Simplicity, Cost effectiveness & Ease of Implementation" in your May issue. The article was helpful to me. I am working on ISO and NABH here. NIAHO would be an another important accreditation.

Prof Anil Kumar
Bangalore

Practical Advice On Insurance

This is regarding Dr Biswendhu Bardhan's article in the May issue of your magazine. The article was full of practical advice, without beating around the bush.

Dr Saloni Sharma
TISS,
Mumbai

Good Article On Marketing

This is regarding the article "Seven Deadly Sins In Marketing" by Vivek Shukla. As always, it is brilliant. The article is appealing to the mind. I pray God helps you in keeping up the good work.

Arjumand
Student