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Fabulous issue

Your special issue on healthcare (TSI, July 26-August 1) was fabulous. The coverage was comprehensive and the articles well researched and presented. The one that struck me as the best was the interview with Dr PK Das of the Apollo Indraprastha Hospital titled “There is life beyond cancer” where the doctor strikes an optimistic note and vehemently asserts that cancer is no longer a killer and that patients stricken with the disease can fight it and merge victorious and lead a normal life. This awareness needs to be spread right across the country and all hospitals that treat the disease should spread the message that the onset of cancer is not the end of life and that science has sufficiently advanced to treat most types of cancer successfully. In many cases, it is not the disease but the fear that consumes patients and defeats the attempts of doctors to treat them. There are umpteen cases of cancer survivors who have gone on to lead long and meaningful lives. TSI should periodically carry stories of such survivors as that would go a long way in lifting the morale of those who are afflicted with cancer. Kudos to the magazine for the special issue which certainly has infinite utility value.

Vijayalakshmi A

Bangalore A hasseled policy

This refers to Arindam Chaudhuri's editorial (TSI, July 26-August 1) on insurance companies withdrawing cashless facilities from many major hospitals. Arindam rightly states that the withdrawal of cashless facility by companies is a retrograde measure. This will put the policyholders, particularly the middle class patients who do not have ready cash available with them, at a disadvantage. The main selling point for most of the insurance policies among the middle class segment is the cashless facility. Withdrawal of the same will make hospital treatments and bill payments a hassle for all. The normal cost of treatments goes up by 60-70 per cent because the overheads of such hospitals are higher. The government and the hospitals should improve billing formats to induce transparency in the system and avoiding inconvenience to the stakeholder.

Ritika

Delhi A real concern

On the decision of the Indian Health Insurance Companies to discontinue the cashless facility to their clients, Arindam Chaudhuri has shown the real concern for the common man in his editorial, "In the insurance imbroglio, the common man is the scapegoat again!" (TSI, July 26-Aug1) by pointing out that insurance companies, hospitals; the state governments and the insured individuals are responsible for such crisis. The insurance companies are responsible for it as they are produce inflated medical bills by requesting unnecessary medical tests, multiple visits by consultants etc thus not only pushing the insurance companies in loss but also deprive insured people of the cashless facility. Arindam has aptly said that there is a need to analyse premiums and then a dialogue between the Centre and state governments along with the hospitals can make a difference. The common man cannot be a scapegoat, every time!

Gaurav

Chandigarh