Thiruvananthapuram:  In a welcome move, the Kerala government has reinstated the medical reimbursement facility for its employees and teachers for treatments at private hospitals. This benefit, which had been discontinued following the introduction of the MEDISEP insurance scheme, has now been brought back by the Finance Department, addressing a long-standing demand from employees.

With this change, government employees can now claim reimbursement for treatments not covered under MEDISEP, including both inpatient and outpatient care, at private hospitals. The scheme also provides eligibility for interest-free medical advances, offering further financial relief.

Initially, with the implementation of MEDISEP, reimbursement for treatment was restricted to government hospitals only. However, following widespread complaints, the benefit has now been extended to treatments in private hospitals as well. Treatments not covered under the MEDISEP package can also be availed in private hospitals. 

According to the Kerala Government Servants Medical Attendance Rules (KGSMA), reimbursement will be granted for treatments at empanelled hospitals. Most private hospitals have already empanelled their treatment departments under this scheme.