Online Functionality for Opt-out and Termination of enrolment from WBHS

Government of West Bengal
Finance Department
Medical Cell, Writers’ Building

No. 102-F (MED) WB Dated- 07/09/2021

ORDER

Sub: Introduction of online functionality for Opt-out and Termination of enrolment from West Bengal Health Scheme through WBHS Portal.

West Bengal Government employees & pensioners and in-service officers & pensioners of AIS category who are rendering or have rendered service in the affairs of Government of West Bengal can enrol themselves under West Bengal Health Scheme (WBHS) through online application under WBHS Portal. The employee and pensioner so enrolled has the liberty to opt-out from the scheme at any time as per Clause No. 2(5) of Notification No. 7287-F dated 19.09.2008 and Clause No. 4(iii) of Notification No. 3475-F dated 11.05.2009 subject to compliance of certain conditions. Enrolment Certificates against such opt-out cases require to be terminated in the System.

Besides, a large number of enrolment certificates of employees and/or pensioners remain idle in the System due to their death, resignation and leaving of services. These records of enrolments also need to be terminated from the Portal regularly and all these are now being done by the different offices manually since no such system based functionality was developed in the Portal so far to deal such opt-out/termination cases.

In view of above and to make the entire process of opt-out/termination cases ONLINE, two different functionalities named Opted-Out from WBHS and Termination of Enrolment from WBHS have recently been developed In WBHS Portal.

Now, after careful consideration, the Governor is pleased to implement the above two functionalities in the WBHS Portal as per process flow of Annexure in the following manner:-

This order shall come into effect from date of issue.

Enclosures: As stated

Sd/- Manoj Pant, IAS
Principal Secretary, Finance Department
Govt. of West Bengal

Annexure-I
Process flow for “Opted-Out from WBHS” functionality through WBHS Portal (No. 102-F(MED) dated 07.09.2021)

1. Enrolled employee/pensioner of Government of West Bengal and AIS officers and pensioners have the liberty to opt- out from West Bengal Health Scheme at any time provided that’s/he has not enjoyed any benefit within 5 years preceding the month of applying for opting-out”.
2. Conscious enrolled employee/pensioner has to apply for such opting-out through WBHS Portal using his/her own credentials (login and password) in WBHS Portal. At the time of applying, s/he has to mention the cause of opting-out mandatorily.
3. After online submission, s/he has to take a print out of such application. Attaching copy of enrollment certificate, s/he will submit duly signed such application to the office of the Head of Office (HoO) or Pension Sanctioning Authority (PSA) physically.
4. HoO/PSA shall take necessary measures for processing such application of opting-out in same procedure what s/he adopted for approval of fresh enrollment under WBHS stated in Order No. 22-F(MED) dated 07/02/2020 and subsequently revised with Order No. 116-F(MED) dated 27/11/2020 issued from Medical Cell, Finance Department, Govt. of West Bengal.
5. When HoO/PSA approves the application of opting-out and generates Opt-Out Order using his/her registered Digital Signature Certificate (DSC), the said order of the Opt-Out will be sent instantly to the registered E-Mail address of the opted-out employee/pensioner.
6. Date of effect for Opt-Out will be the last date of the month in which the digitally signed Opt-Out Order is generated.
7. Opted-Out employee/pensioner of Government of West Bengal is eligible to get Medical Allowance/Relief from the next day of effect for such Opt-Out mentioned in order.
8. In case of approval and subsequent generation of Opt-Out order against an application from an employee who is rendering service in an office other than deputation post of any Administrative Department, by the Head of the Office or his/her authorized Sub-Ordinate Officer, an electronic communication will be reached to credential of the linked Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) in “Restoration of MA/MR” menu in WBHS Portal. After getting such communication, first DDO shall restore Medical Allowance from the next day of effect date of such Opt-Out in HRMS Module of WBIFMS. Then s/he (DDO) takes necessary action of the case using his/her credential through “Restoration of MA/MR” menu in WBHS Portal.
9. In case of approval and subsequent generation of Opt-Out order against an application from an employee who is rendering service in an office of deputation post of any Administrative Department, by the Head of the Office or his/her authorized Sub-Ordinate Officer of Cadre Controlling Department (CCD), an electronic communication will be reached to credential of the DDO of CCD in “Restoration of MA/MR” menu in WBHS Portal. After getting such communication, DDO of CCD shall send an instruction attaching a copy of approved opt-out order to Salary Disbursing Authority (SDA) of deputation post of the concerned employee stating to restore Medical Allowance from the effect date of Opt-Out. On the basis of this, SDA of deputation post shall forward a revert communication to DDO of CCD stating confirmation of restoration of Medical Allowance. On receiving such confirmation communication regarding restoration of Medical Allowance from SDA of deputation post, DDO of CCD takes necessary action of the case using his/her credential (DDO login) through “Restoration of MA/MR” menu in WBHS Portal.
10. When Pension Disbursing Authority is Treasury (other than Kolkata district), on approval and subsequent generation of Opt-Out order against an application from a pensioner by the PSA or his/her authorized Sub-Ordinate Officer, an electronic communication will be reached to credential of the Pension Disbursing Treasury (PDT) at “Restoration of MA/MR” menu in WBHS Portal. After getting such communication, Treasury Officer (TO)of PDT shall restore Medical Relief from the next day of date of effect of Opt-Out in CTS Module of WBIFMS. Then s/he (TO/ATO) takes necessary action of the case using treasury credential through “Restoration of MA/MR” menu in WBHS Portal.
11. When Pension Disbursing Authority is a branch Central Public Sector Undertaking bank (For Kolkata district only) and carries out the instructions/directives of Government of West Bengal for disbursing pension of Govt. of West Bengal with proper communication to the Accountant General of West Bengal (AG, WB) and Manager of the Lead Branch (MLB) of the respective CPSU bank. Branch Manager of CPSU bank has no access in WBHS Portal because of administrate ground. For restoration of Medical Relief to the opted-out pensioners who are drawing pension from Kolkata district, PSA shall forward a communication attaching copy of digitally signed opted-out order to the manager of the pension disbursing CPSU bank with carbon copy (CC) to the AG, WB and MLB of the respective CPSU bank with an instruction of restoring Medical Relief from the next day of effect date mentioned in digitally signed Opt-Out order. After getting such communication from PSA, manager of the pension disbursing CPSU bank restores Medical Relief and forwards revert communication addressing to concerned PSA and other authorities whom s/he compels to communicate in this regarding the stated format:

12. Opted out employee/pensioner is not eligible to enroll again unless Government of West Bengal allows them by issuing general order.

Joint Secretary
Medical Cell, Finance Department
Govt. of West Bengal

Annexure-II
Process flow for “Termination of Enrolment from WBHS” functionality through WBHS Portal (No. 102-F(MED) dated 07.09.2021)

1. When an employee/pensioner enrolls him/her only without having any other dependent beneficiary and expires or employee quits the service under Govt, of West Bengal, his/her enrollment under West Bengal Health Scheme has become idle. Enrolment of such category of employee/pensioner requires to be terminated from WBHS Portal.
2. In WBHS Portal, Termination of enrollment is a single user functionality. Only Head of Office/Pension Sanctioning Authority or his/her authorized Delegated Approver (Certificate Generation) will execute the function of termination of enrollment.
3. Concerned user will approve and generate the Order of Termination using his/her registered Digital Signature Certificate. After generation of, a digitally signed Order of Termination will be sent instantly to the registered E-Mail address of the terminated employee/pensioner.

Joint Secretary
Medical Cell, Finance Department
Govt. of West Bengal

No. 102-F dated 07.09.2021, Source