Haryana hospitals threaten to suspend Ayushman Bharat services over unpaid dues

Chandigarh (Haryana) [India], January 27 (ANI): The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has warned that private hospitals in Haryana will stop treating patients under the Ayushman Bharat scheme from February 3 if their pending dues are not cleared.
The IMA has been advocating for the empanelled hospitals in Haryana, which have been participating in the Ayushman Bharat scheme since its launch in 2018.
However, the introduction of Chirayu Cards in November 2022 has led to erratic payments, causing significant distress to healthcare providers.
In a letter dated January 25 to Ayushman Bharat Haryana CEO Sangeeta Tetarwal Indian Medical Association said, "We have been approached by all empanelled hospitals of Haryana to act on their behalf and inform you that if the following demands are not met soon, they will be forced to suspend Ayushman services from 3rd February 2025. This will cause unnecessary hassle to the poor people of Haryana and the responsibility for the same will fall with your department."
"Ayushman (PMJAY) is an ambitious project of our Prime Minister Narender Modiji. Empanelled hospitals in Haryana have been enthusiastically participating in this scheme since its launch in 2018. Unfortunately, launch of Chirayu Cards in Nov 2022 made payments very erratic due to the sheer numbers. We have been giving representations to you for the same for the last two years," the Indian Medical Association said in the letter.
This decision comes after the IMA expressed disappointment over the government's failure to release pending payments, despite Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini's order to do so.
"We are indebted to Chief Minister Haryana Nayab Singh Saini ji for giving us a patient hearing and ordering immediate release of pending dues. Unfortunately, even after 15 days have passed, our members have not received any significant amount and even the amounts received have large unwarranted deductions. This is a matter of concern and has caused great distress to our members," the Indian Medical Association added.
In a letter, the Indian Medical Association urged Sangeeta Tetarwal, the CEO of Ayushman Bharat Haryana, to take immediate action on several issues. They requested that all pending dues be paid without delay, and emphasised the need for a proper allocation of nearly 2,000 crore rupees per year specifically for this scheme.
Additionally, they called for interest on delayed payments to be calculated according to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and paid to all relevant hospitals, among other concerns. (ANI)