THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KWA has decided to collect share from employees for the comprehensive medical insurance scheme for Water Authority employees. The decision has been taken despite objections from employees and organizations. The decision is to collect a monthly premium of Rs. 500 from employees on the MEDiSEP model. The decision will come into effect from April. It has also been decided that only the spouse, children and dependent parents of employees will be included in the scheme.

The entire premium amount for the medical insurance scheme for employees was borne by the Water Authority till now. An amount proportional to 50 percent of the employees' salary was set aside for inpatient (IP) claims and 50 percent for OP bill claims. The board took the stand that the scheme could be carried forward only if the employees' share was increased when the insurance premium amount reached above 50 percent.

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Currently, the expenditure on insurance is Rs 27.07 crore including GST. This is 79 percent of the total amount considered for the medical benefits of the employees. The board will have an additional liability when the OP bill claim is added. If Rs 500 is collected from the employees every month, an additional Rs 4.44 crore can be found and a coverage of Rs 31 crore can be demanded, MD Jeevanbabu pointed out in the board meeting.

However, the organizations say that the scheme was started in 2014 by setting aside 50 percent of the medical benefits of the employees for the purpose of the premium amount and the authority's claim that it is not collected from the employees is not correct.