Islamabad: A Sub-Committee of the Executive Committee of the Senate Secretariat Employees Welfare Fund convened at Parliament House to evaluate the current medical facilities for employees and assess the viability of a group health insurance scheme. The meeting, chaired by Convenor Senator Aamir Waliuddin Chishti, involved discussions on transitioning from an in-house medical reimbursement system to an outsourced group health insurance model.

According to Senate of Pakistan, the meeting included participation from Senator Nasir Mehmood and Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, who joined via video link. Senate Secretariat officers and insurance company representatives were present to provide insights into the proposed insurance transition. The representatives outlined the benefits of a group health insurance model, which would include access to a network of panel hospitals, cashless hospitalisation, outpatient consultations, diagnostic services, and maternity-related treatments, contingent on policy terms and coverage limits.

The current system requires employees to make upfront payments and seek reimbursements, which has been described as administratively burdensome and lacking comprehensive coverage. The proposed group arrangement would potentially expand the hospital network and facilitate cashless medical services. The use of digital and AI-based systems for processing and monitoring claims was also discussed.

Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri recommended inviting representatives from other insurance companies for detailed briefings in future meetings. She emphasized collecting feedback on practical challenges from employees across different pay grades. The Sub-Committee resolved to conduct another meeting following presentations from various insurance providers and employee feedback, to discuss financial implications and formulate recommendations for improving medical facilities for employees of the Senate Secretariat.