Defence Order – Grant of Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) to Ex-Servicemen Pensioners and Ex-Servicemen Family Pensioners who are ECHS members and residing in Districts not covered by ECHS Polyclinic / Armed Forces Hospitals / MI Room upgraded to accommodate ESMs
No.22(01)/2011/WE/D(Res-I)
Government of India
Ministry of Defence
(Deptt. of Ex-Servicemen Welfare)
Sena Bhavan, New Delhi
Dated 01 November 2018
To
The Chief of Army Staff
The Chief of Naval Staff
The Chief of Air Staff
Sub: Grant of Fixed Medical Allowance (FMA) to Ex-Servicemen Pensioners and Ex-Servicemen Family Pensioners who are ECHS members and residing in Districts not covered by ECHS Polyclinic / Armed Forces Hospitals / MI Room upgraded to accommodate ESMs.
Sir,
In partial modification of Para 2(b) of Govt. of India, Ministry of Defence letter No.22(1)/01/US(WE)/D(Res) dated 30 December 2002, I am directed to convey the sanction of the Government to the payment of Fixed Medical Allowance to Ex-Servicemen Pensioners and Family pensioners, who are ECHS members and residing in Districts not covered by ECHS Polyclinic / Armed Forces Hospital /MI Rooms upgraded to accommodate ESMs as per terms & conditions covered in succeeding paragraphs.
2. Entitlement of FMA to Ex-servicemen (ESM) Pensioners and Ex-Servicemen (ESM) Family Pensioners will be governed by the instructions on the subject issued by Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions ( Deptt. of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare) vide their OM No.4/25/2008-P&PW(D) dated 19 Nov 2014, as amended from time to time.
3. Ex-Servicemen Health Scheme (ECHS) membership is compulsory for all ESM Pensioners and entitled ESM Family Pensioners, those retired, discharged and on death of the serving armed forces personnel which occurred on or after 01 April 2003. Their contribution to ECHS membership is non refundable . All pre 01 April 2003 retirees have the option of either joining ECHS scheme by remitting appropriate contribution and forfeiture of FMA or continue to draw FMA as hither to fore.
4. Despite, being an ECHS member, above mentioned ESM pensioners and ESM Family Pensioners residing in districts, where no ECHS Polyclinic or Armed Force hospital or MI room upgraded to accommodate ESMs is available will be eligible for FMA as well as will be entitled for IPD treatment.
5. The residential address of the ECHS member for payment of FMA / Cessation of FMA shall be the address indicated as the permanent address in his /her PPO.
6. The list of districts for which FMA is to be paid as on date of issue of this order is given in Appendix attached with this order. The list of districts for which FMA is to be paid will be issued on 01st January every year by MD,ECHS,to PCsRCs and also uploaded in the ECHS website.
7. Commencement/Restoration of FMA
As stated above, the ECHS member residing in a district where ECHS polyclinic/Armed Forces Hospital/MI Room upgraded to accommodate ESMs is not available can seek commencement of FMA payment through his/her pension Disbursing Agency (PDA)/Authorised Pension Disbursing Bank, by submitting an application in the prescribed format to the nearest Stn. HQ in triplicate. The Stn HQ will scrutinize the residential address of the ECHS member and verify the applicability of District in the address for FMA and confirm the authorization of FMA on the application in the prescribed format. Distribution of ibid application, will be as under :
(a) Original Copy: The Original Copy of the application will be forwarded to 0/o PCDA (Pension), Allahabad, O/o PCDA (0) Pune, 0/0 PCDA ( Navy & Coast Guard) Mumbai, O/o JCDA (AF) New Delhi-10 (“as applicable” and “similar office pertaining to the ECHS member of other services/establishment”) by Stn. HQ for endorsement in PPO/issue of corrigendum PPO/updating Pension Records of Pensioners/family Pensioners.
(b) Duplicate Copy: The duplicate copy will be forwarded to the concerned Regional Centre ECHS by Stn HQ for uploading the same in PDF format in the data base and to thereafter forward the hardcopy to concerned Record Office as mentioned in the application form for retaining in Pensioners’ record.
( c) Triplicate Copy: The triplicate copy will be returned to the ESM by the Stn HQ (ECHS Cell) duly endorsed with verification of district as per format.
8. Based on ibid original application, 0/o PCDA (Pension ) Allahabad, 0/o PCDA (Navy & Coast Guard) Mumbai, 0/o JCDA (AF) New Delhi-10 ( “as applicable and similar office pertaining to the ECHS member of other services/establishment”) will sanction FMA & endorse in PPO/ issue of corrigendum PPO for updating Pension Records of Pensioners/family Pensioners maintained by Centralised Pension Processing Centres of Banks/DPDO etc. The date of commencement of FMA will be the first day of the subsequent second month in which the Pensioner has submitted the application ( e.g. FMA will commence from 1st July for all applications A st submitted during 1St to 31st May).
9. Cessation of OPD Facilities An ESM who is drawing FMA will not be entitled to OPD facility at ECHS Polyclinic and Armed Forces Hospital. He is also not eligible for referral to Empanelled facilities for treatment in OPD. The ECHS smart card of the ESM will be endorsed with such details regarding facility available to him / her. The date of Cessation of OPD will be the First day of the following second month in which the pensioner has submitted the application e.g. OPD will cease from 1st July for all applications submitted during 1st May to 31st May.
10. Cessation of FMA The Cessation of FMA, in the event of opening a new Polyclinic in the District, by PDA/bank would be based on a certificate issued by CO, ECHS through existing chain of command & control regarding the operationalisation of ECHS polyclinic. With effect from following month in which ECHS polyclinic is operationalised, the entitlement of FMA for the above pensioners residing permanently in that district will cease. Any FMA paid in excess will be recovered from his subsequent pensionary entitlement.s The ECHS card of the ESM will be updated on the status of FMA and medical facility available to him.
11. These orders will be come into effect from 1st of subsequent month from the date of issue.
12. This issues with the concurrence of Ministry of Defence (finance/Pension) vide their UO No.33(145)/12.FP dated 05-10-2018.
Yours faithfully,
(A.K.Karn)
Under Secretary to the Govt of India