Dues pending, private hospitals curtail service under Himcare, Ayush schemes

Dharamsala, February 2

Owing to unpaid dues worth about Rs 200 crore, private hospitals in Himachal have curtailed their services being provided under Himcare and Ayush health schemes in the state since yesterday. This would impact a large number of patients who are covered under these schemes. They would now have to pay for health services in private hospitals.

Dr Naresh Varmani, president of the Kangra District Private Hospital Doctors Association, said earlier the association had decided to discontinue services provided under these schemes from February 1. “However, the government has assured the private hospitals that their dues would be cleared by March 31. So, we have decided to continue services for BPL or poor patients. However, the well off patients covered under the scheme would be asked to pay for services even if they are covered under these schemes,” he said.

Dr Varmani said the private hospitals were treating the patients at government rates under Himcare and Ayush schemes. Since private hospitals have their own expenses, treating patients at government rates was not a profitable business for them. To add to it, the dues of private hospitals have been not been cleared for the last eight months. The pending bills of private hospitals have swollen to about Rs 200 crore. In such a scenario, it has become unviable for private hospitals to continue providing services under these schemes.

There are about 100 private hospitals that have been empanelled in the state to provide free treatment to patients up to Rs 5 lakh under Himcare and Ayush schemes. Many private doctors, on the condition of anonymity, said when they take up the issue of their pending bills with the Health Department authorities, officials threaten them that their empanelment for treating government employees would be cancelled under the medical reimbursement schemes of the government.