Consider including married govt. employees’ parents too under health insurance scheme, HC directs Chief Secretary
Justice Mummineni Sudheer Kumar says, such insurance cannot be denied when children are obligated to take care of their parents under the Maintenance of Parents and Senior Citizens Act
The Madras High Court has directed the Chief Secretary to take a decision within three months on including married government employees’ dependant parents too under the compulsory health insurance scheme being implemented in the State.
Justice Mummineni Sudheer Kumar issued the direction after coming across many writ petitions filed in the court by married government servants against denial of medical reimbursement with respect to the treatment undergone by their parents.
Since such petitions were likely to be filed in the future too, the judge directed the Chief Secretary to take note that a Division Bench of the High Court as well as a single judge had already held against excluding parents from the definition of ‘family’ when it comes to married government servants.
The High Court had more than once pointed out that such exclusion would be in violation of the duty cast upon the children to maintain their aged parents under the Maintenance of Parents and Senior Citizens Act of 2007 as well as the personal laws governing the individuals.
“Hence, this court deems it appropriate to draw the attention of the Chief Secretary of the State of Tamil Nadu to look into this aspect with special attention and take appropriate steps to bring the New Health Insurance Scheme, 2016 or any other subsequent scheme in tune with the orders passed by this court,” the judge wrote.
After directing the High Court Registry to mark a copy of his order to the Chief Secretary, the judge ordered that the latter should take a decision on the issue as expeditiously as possible and at any rate within a period of three months.
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