Medical Allowance for Pensioners: Issue of Date of retirement or date of submission of application.

The Central Pension Accounting Office issued a clarification order about the issue of Fixed Medical Allowance in respect of pensioners who retired before 1st December, 1997.

Detailed instructions issued in the order that the pensioners may be allowed Fixed Medical Allowance with effect from the date of application for Fixed Medical Allowance, if Fixed Medical Allowance otherwise admissible to them.

Issue No.1:
Whether the effective date of payment of FMA in respect of the pensioners who retired before 01.12.1997 is the date of retirement or the date of submission of application.

Comments of DoPPW:
The order were issued vide this Department’s OM No. 45/57/97-P&PW (C) dated-19.12.1997 wherein FMA was granted . The existing pensioners had to opt for medical allowance and an undertaking was required to be submitted by the claimant.

Hence, the orders are being implemented from 01.12.1997. If a person has retired earlier and has opted for the FMA and given undertaking at the time of issue of OM, then the FMA should be paid from 01.12.1997.

After 19.12.1997, several further orders/ clarifications were issued regarding Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA). Therefore, it is difficult to accept that the pensioner was not aware of the admissibility of the FMA w.e.f.01.12.1997.

In view of this, those pensioners who retired before 01.12 .1997 and did not exercised the option for FMA immediately after the issue of OM dated- 19.12.1997 would not be entitled to FMA w.e.f. 01.12.1997.

However, they may be allowed FMA w.e.f. the date of application for FMA, if FMA otherwise admissible to them.

Issue No.2:
Whether the effective date of payment of FMA in respect of the pensioners who retired after 01.12.1997 is 01.12.1997 i.e. date of implementation of order or the date of submission of the application by the pensioner.

Comments of DoPPW:
In the OM dated-19.12.1997, it has been mentioned that in case of future retirees, the option shall be obtained by the Head of Office along with the pension papers and in case the retiree opts for medical allowance, the FMA is payable from the following month after the date of superannuation. If the retiree opts later on or gives his option later, then the FMA is to be given from the date of application.

After 19.12.1997, several further orders/clarifications were issued regarding Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA). Therefore, it is difficult to accept that the retiree/ pensioner was not aware of the admissibility of the FMA.

In case of retirees/ pensioners who retired after 01.12.1997 did not exercise the option for FMA immediately on retirement, the FMA would not be admissible to them from the date of the month following the month of retirement.

However, they may be allowed FMA w.e.f. the date of application for FMA, if FMA otherwise admissible to them.Similar Posts:

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F.No.4/34/2017-P&PW(D)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare

3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan,
Khan Market, New Delhi
Dated: 31/01/2018

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Sub: Grant of Fixed Medical Allowance to Central Government Civil Pensioners residing in areas not covered under Central Government Health Scheme -reg.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s OM No.38/99/99-P&PW(C) dated 17-4-2000 on the subject mentioned above and to say that in accordance with the instructions contained therein, Central Government Civil Pensioners, residing in an area not served by any CGHS dispensary or any corresponding Health Schemes administered by other Ministries/Departments, as the case may be, even though their places of residence may fall within the limits of a CGHS covered cities, are required to submit the following documents for claiming Fixed Medical Allowance:

a) An undertaking in the prescribed format.

b) A certificate from the Medical Authorities of CGHS or from authorities of corresponding Health Schemes of the concerned Ministries/Departments, as the case may be, that the area where the pensioner is residing is not served by any dispensary under CGHS or the corresponding Health Scheme administered by the Ministry/Department.

2. Keeping in view the difficulties being faced by the pensioners in obtaining the required certificate from the concerned Medical Authorities, the matter has been reconsidered in consultation with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It has now been decided that the pensioners, residing in areas not covered by CGHS or any corresponding Health Schemes administered by other Ministries/Departments, as the case may be, would no longer be required to submit a certificate referred to in para 1 (b) above.

However, such pensioners would continue to submit an undertaking in the
following format:
I , a retired employee of _____ (Office Address) declare that I am residing at (Residential Address indicated in PPO) , which area is not covered under CGHS or any corresponding Health Scheme administered by the Ministry/Department of , (as the case may be). I have also not obtained and do not wish to obtain a CGHS Card for availing out-door facilities under CGHS/Corresponding Health Scheme of other Ministries/Departments from any dispensary situated in an adjoining area.

3. A Central Government Civil Pensioner is also required to fill the enclosed Form along with above mentioned undertaking.

4. All the pension disbursing authorities are required to obtain the above undertaking along with the Form, as mentioned in Para 3 above, from such pensioners before sanctioning Fixed Medical Allowance. An entry to this effect should also be made in their PPOs.

sd/-
(Sanjay Wadhawan)
Deputy Secretary to the Govt. of India

Authority: www.pensionersportal.gov.in
Original link: http://document.ccis.nic.in/
Download link: FMA DoPPW Orders 31.1.2018

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4. Common Issues

Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) to retired Govt. Servants:

The Commission has maintained status quo of the Fixed Medical Allowance which is presently paid @ Rs. 500/- per month.

The costs have increased for medicines, consultations fees and Pathological Tests required for day to day medical treatment. This has risen at a much steeper rate than that of the General Price Index. A large number of pensioners are residing in remote areas or villages having no access to CGHS dispensaries and as such are wholly dependent on the paltry amount of Fixed Medical Allowance for day to day treatment.. Therefore it needs to be revised to at least Rs. 2000/- per month.

Source: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7nIuoyYNiJUZkdmYWQySk1QTnM/viewSimilar Posts:

• Need change in key 7th CPC recommendations – Indian Audit & Accounts Department
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• IRTSA requested to grant of Fixed Medical Allowance of Rs.2000 pm to all Pensioners

IRTSA requested to grant of Fixed Medical Allowance of Rs.2000 pm to all retired employees & Pensioners in its memorandum submitted to the Joint Secretary of Implementation Cell, 7th Central Pay Commission as follows…

“Fixed Medical Allowance (Para 8.17.51)

FMA: Grant of Medical Allowance of Rs.2000 pm to all retired employees & Pensioners

i) The cost had exorbitantly increased for the Medicines, Consultation Fee and cost of Pathological Test required for day to day medical treatment since 1997 (when the FMA was initially granted) and this had risen at a much steeper rate the Price Index.

ii) A large proportion of Pensioners were residing in remote areas or villages having no excess to CGHS Dispensaries & Railway Hospitals and are as such, are wholly dependent on the paltry amount of FMA for day to day treatment of self & spouse.

It is, therefore, requested that the FMA may please be revised to atleast Rs.2000 p.m.”

Authority : IRTSA Memorandum

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