CHENNAI: The Directorate of School Education has issued fresh instructions to Chief Educational Officers (CEOs) and District Educational Officers (DEOs) to streamline the processing of medical expense reimbursement claims submitted by serving government and government-aided school teachers, non-teaching staff and their eligible family members.

The Directorate said that medical reimbursement proposals received from district-level officials were frequently incomplete, delaying claim processing.

It also noted that district officials had forwarded certain cases to the Directorate even when they should have sent them directly to insurance companies or the Treasury Department.

The delays in submitting missing documents and clarifications were preventing beneficiaries from receiving timely relief.

It also noted that such delays had also resulted in petitions under the RTI Act, 2005, representations to the Chief Minister’s Special Cell and court cases.

It has instructed all CEOs and DEOs to forward medical reimbursement proposals relating to teaching and non-teaching staff of government and government-aided high and higher secondary schools only with clear remarks and recommendations from the concerned DEO.

The move is aimed at reducing unnecessary movement of files between offices, avoiding procedural delays and ensuring that eligible employees and their family members receive medical reimbursement without undue hardship.