KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT PENSIONERS (MEDICAL ATTENDANCE) RULES, 1969

Rule 1. Title.

These rules may be called the Karnataka Government Pensioners (Medical Attendance) Rules, 1969.

Rule 2. Application.

(1)     These rules shall apply to all Karnataka Government Pensioners.

(2)     These rules shall apply mutatis mutandis to the family of a Karnataka Government Pensioner as they apply to a Karnataka Government Pensioner.

Explanation. For purposes of these rules 'Family' means. the wife or husband of a Karnataka Government Pensioner'.

Rule 3. Definitions.

In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires.

(a)      "Authorised Medical Attendant" means.

(i)       in the case of Karnataka Government Pensioners whose pension is not less than [1][Rs. 800/- (Rupees Eight hundred only)] per month, the District Medical Officer or the Civil Surgeon of the District or Medical Officers equal to or above the status of a Civil Surgeon working in the medical institution under the control of the Director of Health Services;

(ii)      in the case of other Karnataka Government Pensioners, Medical Officers Class II working in the Medical Institutions under the control of the Director of Health Services;

(iii)     in the case of Karnataka Government Pensioners residing in the places outside Taluk Headquarters.

(a)      Medical Officers, Gazetted or Non-Gazetted in charge of Local Fund Dispensaries and Primary Health Units or Centres;

(b)      if no Government Medical Officers are appointed, Medical Officers of such of those Local Fund Dispensaries which are exclusively run by Taluk Boards and Village Panchayats;

Note. (1) The authorised Medical Attendant of a Karnataka Government Pensioner shall be determined with reference to the place at which he falls ill, whether it is his permanent residence or place of casual stay.

(2) Honorary Specialists or Medical Officers and part-time specialists or Medical Officers and Medical Officers of Class III are not to be treated as Authorised Medical Attendants for any category of Karnataka Government Pensioners for the purposes of these rules.

(b)      "Medical Attendance" means attendance in hospital including, such pathological, bacteriological, radiological or other methods or examination for the purpose of diagnosis, as are available in any Government Hospital within the State and are considered necessary by the authorised medical attendant and such consultation with a Specialist or other Medical Officer in Government employ within the State as the authorised Medical Attendant certifies to be necessary to such extent and in such manner as the specialist or medical officer may, in consultation with the authorised medical attendant, determine;

(c)      "Karnataka Government Pensioner" means.

(i)       a Karnataka Government servant who has retired from Government service on or after 1st November, 1956 and is paid a pension in respect of such service by the Government of Karnataka; or

(ii)      a civil pensioner of the erstwhile State of Bombay, Coorg, Madras, Mysore or Hyderabad.

(a)      who was drawing pension prior to 1st November, 1956 in the territories comprised in the new State of Karnataka; or

(b)      who was retired or proceeded on leave preparatory to retirement prior to 1st November, 1956 but whose claim for pension was pending settlement on that date and whose pension has ordered to be paid by the new State of Karnataka; or

(c)      who was drawing either anticipatory pension, or final pension before 1st November, 1956 from any of the Treasuries in the new State of Karnataka.

(d)      "Patient" means a Karnataka Government Pensioner to whom these rules apply and who has fallen ill;

(e)      "Pension" means the amount of service [2][pension ignoring the fact of commutation, if any];

(f)       "Station" means the town or place within the State in which the Karnataka Government Pensioner falls ill;

(g)      "Treatment" means the use of all medical, X-Ray and Surgical facilities available at the Government hospital in which a Karnataka Government Pensioner is treated and includes.

(i)       the employment of such pathological, bacteriological, radiological or other methods as are considered necessary by the authorised medical attendant;

(ii)      the supply of such medicines, vaccines, sera or other therapeutic substances as are ordinarily available in the hospital;

(iii)     such accommodation as is ordinarily provided in the hospital and is suited to the Status of a Karnataka Government Pensioner with reference to pension as indicated below.

(iv)    Such nursing as is ordinarily provided to in-patients by the Hospital.

(v)      In the case of Karnataka Government Pensioner drawing a pension of less than [4][Rs. '800/- (Rupees Eight hundred only)] per mensem the charges indicated above do not include diet charges or provision at the request of the Karnataka Government Pensioner of accommodation superior to that described in sub-clause (iii) Twenty per cent of ward charge shall for purposes of calculation be treated as diet charges.

(vi)    Supply of such quantity of blood as the authorised medical at tendant may certify in writing to be essential for the recovery or for the prevention of serious deterioration in the condition of the Karnataka Government Pensioner.

Rule 4. Special Nursing.

Special nurses shall be engaged only with the approval of the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital concerned when their services are absolutely essential and for the minimum period necessary.

Rule 5. Free Medical Treatment.

Karnataka Government Pensioner shall be entitled free of charge.

(i)       to treatment in such Government Hospital within the Karnataka State at or near the place where he falls ill, as can, in the opinion of the authorised medical attendant, provide the necessary and suitable treatment;

(ii)      to anti-rabic treatment at the nearest Government Hospital providing such treatment.

Rule 6. Admission to and treatment in Wards.

The patients who under these rules, are eligible for treatment in a particular class of paying or special ward, may get themselves treated in any higher class of ward, by paying the difference in the rates for the two classes of wards.

Rule 7. Production of identification at the time of admission.

(1)     Karnataka Government Pensioners to whom these rules apply shall produce before the authorised medical attendant their pension payment order for allocating a ward suitable to their status. In such cases it shall not be necessary to collect the hospital fees including ward charges.

(2)     When a Karnataka Government Pensioner is not able to produce the pension payment order mentioned in sub-rule (1) due to some emergent or unforeseen circumstances, he/she or a member of his/her family may be admitted to the ward he/she is entitled to on his/her giving a written statement signed by him/her giving the necessary particulars, regarding pension. He/She should be required to produce the necessary pension payment order within three days of admission failing which the ward charges shall be collected from him/her.

[5][(3) x x x x x.]

[6][(4) Pensioners who draw pensions through Scheduled Banks/Co-operative Societies shall produce before the authorised medical attendant instead of P.P.O., the following certificate together with an attested copy of his/her joint passport size photograph with his wife/husband.

CERTIFICATE

Certified that (Name)...................retired (Designation)..............Government of Karnataka holder of pension payment Order No...........has been sanctioned a service pension of Rs.............before communication. A joint passport size photograph of the pensioner with his spouse is duly attested and attached.

Treasury Officer.

(5)   The provision of sub-rules (1), (2) and (3) above, shall apply to treatment in General Hospitals as well as in special hospitals including Sanatorium.]

Rule 8. Charges for Medical Attendance.

(1)     A Karnataka Government Pensioner shall be entitled free of charge to medical attendance by the authorised medical attendant. Medical Officers shall not be allowed to charge any fees from or for Karnataka Government Pensioners for whom they are appointed medical attendants.

(2)     No Karnataka Government Pensioner will be entitled to any free services by Opticians or Dentists except for eye diseases requiring medical treatment and prescription of glasses and for removal of teeth. Government will not bear the cost of glasses or new dentures. No Government Pensioner will be entitled to free treatment in any Government Hospital for general diseases or for a disease brought about by his intemperance,

(3)     No fee shall be charged or be paid by Karnataka Government Pensioner for the examination of the eyes for prescription of glasses.

(4)     No fee shall be charged for sterilisation of instruments used in connection with operations performed on Karnataka Government Pensioners and their families.

Rule 9. Special Medical Treatment in certain cases.

If the authorised medical attendant is of the opinion that the case of the patient is of- such serious or special nature as to require medical attendance by some person other than himself or that the patient requires anti-rabic treatment, he may, with the approval of the Director of Health Services (which shall be obtained before hand unless the delay involved entails danger to the health of the patient) send the patient to the nearest Specialist or other Medical Officer as provided in clause (b) of Rule 3 by whom in Ms opinion, medical attendance is required for the patient or in the case of anti-rabic treatment, to the nearest place where such treatment is available,

Rule 10. Facilities for T.B. Patients.

(1)     Karnataka Government Pensioners suspected to be suffering from Tuberculosis should be sent for examination and opinion to the nearest Government T.B. Clinic or sanatorium or nearest District Headquarters Hospital where proper facilities including X-Ray, are available, for thorough examination. No charge shall be levied for X-Ray, skiagrams, examinations and laboratory investigations in this behalf.

(2)     At places where there are no authorised medical attendants, the Civil Surgeon can with the sanction of the Director of Health Services, arrange to examine Karnataka Government Pensioners suffering from Tuberculosis with the help of the Medical Officers of the Institution where the patient is receiving treatment.

(3)     Reasonable facilities should also be provided as far as possible for admission of the Karnataka Government Pensioners to Government Hospitals provided they are deemed fit for treatment by the Medical Officer-in-charge of the T.B. Clinic or Sanatoria. The expenses for the treatment of the Karnataka Government Pensioners and for diet normal, extra or special, shall be met wholly by Government in the case of those whose pension is [7][Rs. 800 (Rupees Eight hundred only] per mensem or less, In the case of Karnataka Government Pensioner's whose pension exceeds Rs. 195 per month charges for diet shall be borne by the Karnataka Government Pensioners themselves.