RANADHIR DEBBARMA Vs. STATE OF TRIPURA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By way of filing the present writ petition, the petitioner has raised his grievance for his application for reimbursement of medical bills being arbitrarily rejected by the respondents.

(2.) The facts are that, the mother of the petitioner was suffering from acute cancer. Considering the eligibility of the petitioner being an employee under the State-respondents, his mother was referred to TATA Medical Centre, Kolkata by an authorized Medical Board of the Government of Tripura as she was suffering from cancer. The mother of the petitioner was treated there in the hospital. After completion of treatment, she was advised to follow-up action. Thereafter, the petitioner came back to Agartala leaving his mother in Kolkata. After few days, the petitioner was informed by his mother about her further complications. Accordingly, the petitioner went to Kolkata and he took his mother to TATA Medical Centre for treatment. It is pertinent to mention here that from the discharge summary dated 10.05.2018, it is revealed that the mother of the petitioner was advised to consult with Cardiology Unit of AMRI hospital preferably with Dr. Manojit Lodha/ Dr. Subhasish Roy Choudhury. Accordingly, his mother was consulted with the doctors of AMRI hospital. Thereafter, from assessment date 03.09.2018 (Annexure 5 to the writ petition) it is revealed that the mother of the petitioner was advised 'Adjuvant RT to Right Breast followed by a Tumor cavity boost; and Left Chest wall with Left SCF at other center as we do not have slots for RT'. From the above 'patient summary' it reveals that since TATA Medical Centre had no slot and on their advice that the patient has to be treated 'at other Centre', the petitioner was compelled to shift his mother to Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata. Accordingly, the mother of the petitioner underwent necessary surgery at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata. Thereafter, the petitioner raised bills for such treatments of his mother at AMRI and Apollo Gleneagles for an amount of Rs. 2,50,742.19/-. The mother of the petitioner was brought to Agartala where after few days she breathed her last.

(3.) After overcoming the grief and sorrow state of affairs the petitioner suffered due to death of his mother, the petitioner had submitted medical bills for reimbursement of the same to the respondents with an application thereof. Though the first bill of the petitioner relating to the treatment of his mother at TATA Medical Centre, Kolkata was paid, but, the expenditure he incurred for treatment of his mother at AMRI hospital and Apollo Gleneagles Hospital, Kolkata were rejected by the respondents. Thereafter, the petitioner submitted representation requesting the respondents to reimburse the bills raised for the treatment of his mother at AMRI hospital and Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata, but in vain, compelling the petitioner to file the instant writ petition.