Some clarifications regarding the IBA Health Insurance Scheme

A letter to C.H. Venkatachelam                             

               Coming to the Scheme, vide your Circular No.28/240/2020/78 dated 3rd October the National Insurance Company had agreed to Provide Any Sum Insured Base Cover from 1 Lakh to 4 Lakhs and also Any Sum Insured Top Up Cover from 1 Lakh to 5 Lakhs to Anyone who opt, Without any Cadre Classification like Workman or Officer.

               Surprisingly, within 2 Days, for Whatever Reasons Best Known to the Insurer,(National Insurance Co) the IBA, The UFBU and Yourself as it's Constituent Member, Two of the major Conditions were Back Tracked  from their Original Agreement. The Insurer had Decided Not to Provide 4 Lac  Base Cover but only 3 Lac to the Workmen cadre, and 4 Lac Base Cover only to Officer Cadre . Further, the Insurer(National Insurance Co) had Decided Not to Provide Super Top Up Cover to 1 Lac and 2 Lac Base Covers, again for Whatever Reasons Best Known to the Insurer, the IBA, UFBU and to Yourself . Subsequently You had issued a New Circular No.28/242/2020/80 with Revised Terms and Conditions on 06/10/2020, which Turned out to be a Rude Shock to the Workmen cadre Retirees. 

               It is Quite Surprising to Note, that, How You, as an Eminent Leader and Representative of the Largest  Workmen Union had Kept Silent and Inactive, when Such a Decision Affecting the Workmen Cadre was Initiated by the Insurer. I would like to state that there are Thousands of Workmen Retirees who are Willing to take a 4 Lac Base cover with a 5 Lac Top up Cover. And Many Enquiries from Officer Retirees who are Planning to take a 3 Lac Base Cover with 4 Lac Top up Cover. 

               While I and many a Workmen Retirees have No objections in Providing Any Base Cover and Any Top up Cover to the Officer Retirees, the Insurer Should Provide the Same Benefit to the Workmen Retirees also, in an Unbiased Manner. In case it is Not Done, it will be a Great Injustice to the Workmen Retirees. 

               Further,  Refusal by the Insurer to Provide Top Up Cover to 1 Lac and 2 Lac Base Cover is yet Another Injustice towards those Retirees who are Financially Uncomfortable to Take a Higher Base Cover. 

              Taking into Consideration of all These Facts, I Request you to Kindly Take up Necessary Initiatives to Reinstate the Earlier Conditions of 1) That Any Retiree, especially from Workmen Cadre can also Select a Base Cover as well as a Super Top Up Cover as per his/her Need  similar to an Officer from the 4 Slabs provided and 2) Any Retiree, from the Workmen Cadre can opt for Any Super Top Up Cover as Per Their Choice out of 1 Lac to 5 Lac, similar to an Office , in Both Cases, Without Any Discrimination as an Officer or as a Workmen and only as a Single and one Name "Retiree" as per the Earlier agreed Terms vide your Circular No.28/240/2020/78 Dated 3rd October 2020. 

               It will be Most Appropriate to Mention at this Juncture that Though We Were All Working Under Different Cadres While in Service, Upon Retirement, We all Live Under a Single Banner Known as "Retirees" With Only one 'E ' as Prefix to the Employee Number, be it a Sub staff, a Clerk, a Special Assistant, an Officer of different scale etc. Such a Noble Classification as a "Retiree" maintained by all of us Shall Not be Permitted to be Destroyed by Anyone, be it You or Me or Any Outside Forces. 

                In case this do not work out, and the Earlier Facilities are not Restored, the only Alternative Left is to Contact The National Insurance Company, and Raise Objections to the Manner, by which,  the National Insurance Company had violated the Regulations of IRDA, and thrust upon the Retirees, a Sum Insured Cover as per their wish, which are Adversely Affecting the Workmen Cadre While at the same time, in the process paving way for  Additional Benefits to the Officer Retirees. 

                Looking forward to Your Immediate Action in this Regard with measures Restoring the Earlier Terms and Conditions with Immediate Effect as the Scheme Details will be Released by the Banks on 12/10/2020 with Consent Letters to be Submitted to the banks from 14th October onwards.  I expect a suitable reply with immediate effects.    -----  N R. Ayyappan Ex Syndicate Bank