New no-cash policy for scans catches rural poor off guard at TN govt hosps

Intermediaries charge ₹20-₹30 to make online payments for those who can't, say patients

- PEARSON LENEKAR S R @Tiruchy

M Chitra from Viralimalai arrived early at Tiruchy's Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH), hoping to get her CT scan done quickly. Clutching ₹500 in cash, she was taken aback when the hospital insisted on an online payment. With only a basic keypad phone and no digital payment options, she had to rely on strangers to make the payment.

Chitra is not alone. Across Tamil Nadu, government hospitals have implemented a mandatory online payment system for CT and MRI scans under the orders of the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation Ltd. (TNMSC). While aimed at improving transparency, the policy has become a hurdle for rural patients, elderly individuals, and daily wage workers who rely on cash transactions.