HC directs insurance firm to reimburse govt pensioner's bill

The Madras High Court has imposed costs of Rs 50,000 on United India Insurance Company for not reimbursing a retired state government employee's medical bill and directed it to pay the claim amount of Rs 1,43,709 within four weeks.
In his order recently, Justice T Raja took serious view of the firm for not reimbursing the bill even after recommendations made by statutory authorities on reimbursement of bills to government pensioners under the Tamil Nadu Government Pensioner's Health Fund Scheme.
The judge said "delay" tactics adopted by the insurance firm in paying the reimbursement under the scheme would have caused grave hardship to the petitioner, who is aged about 72 years now.

Allowing a petition from K P Ramalingam, who underwent procedures for treatment of heart disease at the Christian Medical College Hospital in Vellore in 2014, the judge said the firm also ignored specific recommendations by statutory authorities on reimbursement of government pensioners' bills.
The petitioner submitted that he had subscribed to the government scheme and was eligible for reimbursement.
Despite completing all statutory proceedings, he was not reimbursed the amount and hence he moved the high court.
The insurance company, in the guise of calling for the original break-up bills and cash receipts, has delayed the payment of the amount, he submitted.

Allowing the petition with costs of Rs 50,000 payable by the insurance firm to the petitioner, the judge directed the company to pay it, along with the reimbursement amount of Rs 1,43,709, within four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the order.