Haryana's Private Hospitals Face Crisis as Ayushman Bharat Payments Worth ₹400 Crore Remain Pending

Hundreds of hospitals are struggling to maintain services under the Ayushmann Bharat scheme which has led to mounting tensions between private healthcare providers and the Haryana government. At the centre of these crisis lies pending payment of ₹400 crore which is threatening healthcare access for millions of beneficiaries. 

The crisis affected almost 600 private hospital across Haryana that are empanelled under the Ayushmann Bharat scheme. These facilities are part of a larger network of 1300 hospitals around Haryana, providing healthcare services to about 1.2 Crore beneficiaries in the state. Ayushmann Bharat scheme, launched in 2018 promises health coverage up to ₹5 lakh per family annually for those with annual income below ₹2.5 lakh and senior citizens. 

The private hospitals have reached a breaking point as highlighted by Dr Mahavir Jain, President of IMA, Haryana. Despite providing services and waiving medical bills for eligible patients, the hospitals have received only 10 to 15% of their claimed amounts. The delay in payments have created severe operational challenges affecting the ability of healthcare facilities to maintain quality services. 

The Chief Minister’s Office has taken notice of the situation and the Chief Principal Secretary Rajesh Khullar is scheduled to meet IMA representatives today. Several demands have been presented by the association which includes immediate clearance of pending payments, streamline preapproval process after document verification, no deduction after initial approval and implementation of the promised ₹2000 crore annual support for the scheme.