Over 600 private hospitals withdraw Ayushman Bharat services in Haryana

In a major blow to beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, over 600 Ayushan empanelled hospitals across Haryana have withdrawn treatment facilities for card holders citing inadequate and delayed payments along with other issues.

IMA Haryana had served a notice to the state government last month. A meeting between IMA Haryana, the Health Secretary, and Ayushman officials was held on Wednesday, but it yielded no conclusive outcome. Consequently, IMA Haryana withdrew its services, said Dr MP Jain, president of IMA Haryana.

He said that the government does not have a proper and adequate budgetary provision to run this ambitious scheme of the Union Government.

He claimed that around Rs 500 crore owed to over 600 private hospitals was still pending with the government as of July 15. In the last three days, only Rs 30 crore had been disbursed. According to officials at the meeting, this amount is insufficient. “Under such circumstances, private doctors cannot meet the expenditures,” said the state president.”

“The notice was served well in advance to the state government, but it showed no intention of resolving the issue,” said the state president.

In Karnal, approximately Rs 40 crore is still pending with the government. Private doctors criticised the government over the issue. IMA Karnal president Dr Deepak Prakash, along with Dr Rajat Mimani, Dr Gaurav Bhaskar, Dr Vibhav, Dr Gaurav Sachdeva and others raised the issue to streamline the ambitious scheme.

Dr Prakash said that not only delayed payment but they also want streamlining of the whole process, including portal issue, which launched in February 2024. He also highlighted the issue of difficult communication with the state authorities.

Dr Mimani said that illogical deduction and rejection after discharge of the patients put a huge financial loss on the hospital. “This practice should be stopped which causes only harassment to private hospitals even after treating Ayushman card holders,” said Mimani.