1)At the outset, we profusely thank you for ensuring release of CO Circular by Personnel Dept on post 1/8/2012 retirees pension & CV arrears
2)We wish to bring to your kind notice that while Family Floater policy was a boon,the new Mediclaim premium Chart for 2016-17 gave us pensioners a shock & surprise.You would have noticed that the premium increase is as high as 43 % & more. The numbers are so large,including employees & pensioners,we felt New India must have graciously quoted a realistic premium & LIC also must have negotiated ,with the objective of helping weaker sections, pensioners to limit the rise atleast.
3)Practically, 2016-17 mediclaim benefits is a ditto of 2015-16. LIC has not got any worthwhile concessions from New India. The trend of near constant same premium last few years is reversed, with a very steep & unaffordable premium.Earlier few years, we even got a small refund of premium also,It is needless to say ,especially for pensioners ,Regular & Family, a larger percent of expenses is on Domiciliary benefits, which we don't get,& actually Aged Seniors & pensioners richly deserve the same facility as for employees with a lumpsum per annum.Medical consultation cost has become prohibitive & a big chunk goes away for a family of RP & wife .Under these circumstances, we crave your indulgence ,to intervene & help us ,by accepting our modest & realistic suggestions to mitigate the steep rise
4)All along,the Corporation has proceeded with the laudable objective of enabling employees & pensioners to OPT & CHOOSE HIGHER OPTIONAL Sum Assured ,so that all can avail the higher risk cover in an era of environment of illnesses & diseases,& all items of Hospitalisation show a rise.
But the latest CO Circular was a bolt from the blue upsetting, in particular Pensioners living with Same Basic Pension unchanged from beginning of PensionRules,1995,ie IV Pay Commission mode. This steep rise has upset the rhythm & offer of subsidy by LIC & 75 % subsidy in Basic Sum Assured is adversely affected ,without any choice or recourse to pensioners
5)We submit, in all humility & modesty that BSA limits be doubled to Rs6,8 & 12 lacs from present Rs 3,4, & 6 lacs.When Family Floater Policy became reality, after many years of efforts from 1 July 2014,so soon, the benefits of 75% subsidy will be nullified , we never thought. This improvement with enhancement of BSA retaining 75 % subsidy will ease to some extent & compensate the unbearable rise in premium, never thought of.
6)We also request you to be sympathetic to requests from pensioners who revoke Rs 25 lacs or Rs 30 lacs,which provision was provided, but to ensure that dazed pensioners get the revised limits of lower OSA,which was all along the salutary intentions of LIC to enable,in a rising world of Health care costs right & left, to choose any OSA right upto Rs 20 lacs. We are told that LIC offices allow back to BSA of respective Category 1,2 & 3, ie Rs 6 lacs, 4 lacs, 3 lacs only. Please see reality & empathise with such requests without denying them the higher OSA they desire,when even Rs 25 lacs & 30 lacs were offered.
7)This is the Platinum Jubilee Year of LIC,when all of us LICians are proud that LIC will have grand celebrations by 1st September, 2016 ,to recall the long & successful voyage & journey all these 60 years of spotless reputation & goodwill earned from all over the country, braving the intense competition from private insurers.We owe a deep debt of gratitude to LIC & LIC, in return for past wondrous 35 years & more dedicated services put in by Pensioners ,remember these Seniors & Elders & Founders, if they may be rightly called & claimed, & honour them with some gracious & salutary announcements befitting them & lofty ideas on Elders & Seniors to be entertained by an enlightened Institution like LIC. Especially when all are aware that even for Golden Jubilee,1/9/2006, LIC did not dedicate 8 gms Gold Coin they gave to employees ,even newly joined or juniors, Pensioners got Rs 3000 only . Whenthe older generation of pensioners got such a pittance of Retirement benefits , the wide chasm has to be bridged by worthy benefits to be gladly showered on them
8)Please consider our above suggestions to make 2016-17 mediclaim announcement ,look a lot more pragmatic & realistic.
We shall be glad to receive your considered reply on the above issues.
Greetings & with respectful regards,
R.B.KISHORE, To: Smt USHA SANGWAN,MD,LIC
ED(Retd),LIC,
VP,AIRIEF
044-2815 5810 /098403 40591