Once bitten over his Commonwealth trip,the Punjab Finance Department is chewing over a recent dental implant by Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon. While the Rs 3 lakh bill for the surgery at the PGI,Chandigarh,has been cleared by the department,to avoid any teething troubles,the Principal Secretary for Finance,S C Aggarwal,has sought directions from the Director,Health Services,on whether such a treatment is life-saving or cosmetic,and if it should be included in the list of reimbursable expenses or the case be treated as an exception. The implant was done late last year. While a smile goes a long way,given the state of Punjabs finances,these are no longer laughing matters in a state known to be rather generous towards its lawmakers. Last year,the Finance Department had a privilege notice slapped against it when it delayed clearing funds for Kahlons visit to Kuala Lumpur for the Commonwealth parliamentarians conference. The department had hesitated as the tour itinerary included the Speakers visit to the US and Australia along with a family member before the Kuala Lumpur visit. The sum involved then was Rs 20 lakh. Finally Kahlon couldnt make it for the conference. While the state exchequer bears expenses for life-saving treatments of politicians,bureaucrats and their families,and the cost of treatment in several instances has been many times higher,the Finance Department wants to make sure that it bites as much as it can chew on the dental implant. Since the dental treatment has been done with the latest tooth implant technology available at the PGI,which is expensive,it was justifiable to reimburse the expenses. But,for the future,we want to be sure if such a treatment is reimbursable and should be included in our list,or just be treated as exceptions allowed for those holding privileged positions, a Finance Department official said. Kahlon,meanwhile,is grinding his teeth. Even if the cost of medical treatment had been Rs 3 crore,the Government would have had to bear it,he said. Reimbursement of medical expenses is allowed for the post I am holding,and it is for the Health Department to decide whether such an expense is permissible or not, he added. As the matter moves to the Punjab Health Department,some dentists agree that such implants are not just cosmetic. It is an advanced technology used for replacing a lost tooth and recommended when dentures are not stable and cause too much discomfort. The cost depends on the number of implants,and at times surgery may be required if ridges are totally gone. A single tooth implant can cost anywhere between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 (some private clinics charge up to Rs 35,000 per implant). Up to 12 implants can be done,in which case the fabrication of the complete denture can cost above Rs 2 lakh,and even higher if surgery is required, said a former PGI faculty member of the Dentistry Department. However,he added,the surgery is definitely not life-saving,and whether it should be done out of the taxpayers money is altogether a different question. In the Health Department,the fine-tooth combs are out.
