Punjab Health Minister Refutes Pvt Hospitals' Claim of INR 600 Cr Dues Under Ayushman Bharat

Singh clarified that the outstanding amount consists of INR 166.67 Cr owed to public hospitals and INR 197 Cr to private hospitals in Punjab.

Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh on Thursday denied claims made by private hospitals that the state government owes over INR 600 Cr for treatments provided under the Ayushman Bharat Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojana.

According to Singh, the total pending payments to both public and private hospitals amount to INR 364 Cr.

However, Singh clarified that the outstanding amount consists of INR 166.67 Cr owed to public hospitals and INR 197 Cr owed to private hospitals.

His statement follows accusations from the Punjab Hospital and Nursing Home Association (PHANA), which threatened to halt services under the scheme, claiming that the government had failed to clear over INR 600 Cr in dues.

Punjab Hosp Pending Payments

The Ayushman Bharat Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojana offers cashless treatment of up to INR 5 Lakh per family annually across 772 government and private empaneled hospitals in Punjab.

The health minister further stated that since April 1, 2024, the government has disbursed INR 101.66 Cr to private hospitals and INR 112 Cr to public hospitals.

He acknowledged that technical issues had arisen in February after the National Health Agency (NHA) implemented new claim processing software, which delayed payment settlements.

To address the problem, the State Health Agency (SHA) deployed additional staff and began working on weekends and holidays to expedite claims.

In an effort to resolve the ongoing dispute, Singh has called for a meeting with PHANA representatives on Friday. A separate meeting with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has been scheduled for September 25 to address any concerns related to payments.

The minister also instructed the SHA to hire more medical professionals to speed up the claims process and ensure timely payments to empaneled hospitals under the scheme.

PHANA's Ayushman Bharat Claims

The PHANA claimed that they have suspended cashless treatment services under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme due to the state's non-payment of INR 600 Cr in dues, affecting 42 lakh beneficiaries, including 13 lakh BPL individuals.

PHANA President Vikas Chabra revealed payments have been delayed for six months despite assurances from state officials. Dr Divyanshu Gupta, PHANA's secretary, added that hospitals are struggling with operational costs, vendor issues, and loans. The suspension impacts 600 hospitals.

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