600 Haryana hospitals to halt Ayushman Bharat services over payment delay

Over 600 private hospitals in Haryana will stop treating patients under the Ayushman Bharat scheme from February 3, announced the state’s Indian Medical Association (IMA). This decision follows the government’s failure to release reimbursements amounting to Rs 400 crore.

Ayushman Bharat, which currently includes approximately 1,300 hospitals in Haryana — 600 of which are private — has faced significant financial issues. A doctor from one of the empanelled hospitals in Gurugram expressed concern over the mounting difficulty of running hospitals without timely payments. “The reimbursement process is slow, and new bills keep adding up. Immediate release of payments is essential for us to continue functioning,” the doctor explained.

Mahavir Jain, president of IMA Haryana, confirmed that private hospitals have been waiting for reimbursement for several months. He underlined the urgency of the situation, saying, “Hospitals cannot operate without the necessary funds. Around Rs 400 crore is still pending, and these bills have already been discounted by the hospitals. How can they continue if they do not receive basic payments?”

IMA officials reported that hospitals have received only 10-15 per cent of the reimbursements they were owed. Typically, hospitals submit reimbursement requests via an online portal after treating Ayushman Bharat patients, with the state government then approving and reimbursing the costs. However, delays in processing these payments have left many hospitals struggling.

Ayushman Bharat: CM instructs prompt release of funds

Despite raising the issue with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who instructed the prompt release of funds, hospitals have only seen a partial distribution of the outstanding amounts. Dhirendar K Soni, the secretary of IMA Haryana, lamented, “Even after 15 days, no significant amount has been received. The funds released have been subject to substantial, unjustified deductions.”

Meanwhile, Ankita Adhikari, joint CEO of Ayushman Bharat in Haryana, responded to the announcement by stating that her office had not been informed of the cessation of services. “We have already initiated the fund release process, and we are confident that the issue will be resolved within a week. We hope such drastic measures will not be necessary,” she said.

Gurugram hospitals suspend services over reimbursements

Several hospitals in Gurugram, including Park Hospital, Centre for Sight, Pushpanjali Hospital, and Kamla Hospital, are among those affected by the decision. Jyoti Yadav from Kamla Hospital confirmed the hospital’s support for the IMA’s stance and noted that the suspension of services would affect the treatment of around one to two new Ayushman Bharat patients per day, including eye surgeries. “We will suspend services from February 3, as we have no other option,” Yadav said.

Launched in 2018 by the Narendra Modi government, Ayushman Bharat offers free healthcare up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually. Approximately 10.2 million individuals in Haryana are enrolled in the scheme, which covers a wide range of healthcare services, from routine tests to surgeries. However, the delayed reimbursements have created significant operational difficulties for hospitals, putting their ability to continue providing care under strain.