IMA Haryana raises concerns over delayed payments under Ayushman Bharat scheme
The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Haryana, has raised concerns over alleged delays in payments to private hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat scheme across the state. They sent a memorandum to CM Nayab Singh Saini and shared the same to PM Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister JP Nadda on their X account, demanding their intervention to safeguard the scheme’s future.
Dr Mahaveer P Jain, president of the IMA Haryana unit, said that the Ayushman Bharat scheme, introduced in 2018, initially covered treatment in government hospitals before being extended to private facilities. The scheme has seen significant success in the state, leading the Haryana government to expand its scope under the Chirayu Yojana to cover senior citizens above 70 years of age.
He along with other office bearers emphasized that private hospitals play a crucial role in the scheme’s implementation, offering cashless and quality healthcare services to millions of people. “To ensure their participation, the government had promised timely payment within 15 days and an additional 1% interest per week for any delays beyond the stipulated time as per the MoU signed with the hospitals. Unfortunately, despite these assurances, payments are being delayed by 3 to 6 months. Even interest for delayed payments is being denied by officials, claiming that payments will be made on time. Payments are only released after repeated warnings of service withdrawal, and that too every 3-4 months,” the state president asserted.
The state president also criticized the growing list of objections raised during claim processing, arbitrary deductions without explanation, and categorization of valid claims as “false” to avoid payments—some pending for over three years.
He said that five popular treatment packages have been removed from the scheme without ensuring adequate alternatives in government hospitals.
The association also raised the issue of deduction of budget. “Despite a payment of Rs 1,300 crore in 2023–24 and a projected Rs 1,800 crore in 2024–25, the budget for the financial year 2025–26 has been slashed to just Rs 700 crore, which has already been consumed.This budget cut completely contradicts the government’s public commitments and puts the scheme at risk,” the IMA president said.
He also highlighted that they have submitted several representations to CM Nayab Singh Saini, but his intervention yielded not much. He alleged that bureaucratic resistance and hidden agendas are obstructing the scheme’s implementation and pushing empaneled private hospitals to withdraw from the programme.
“We request the PM, Union Health Minister and CM to intervene to save the scheme, which is meant for poor and needy people,” he said.
Haryana Tribune