Around 650-700 private hospitals in Haryana may withdraw from the Ayushman Bharat scheme starting August 7 due to pending dues of around ₹500 crore. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Haryana has claimed that despite multiple assurances from government officials, payments continue to be delayed, with some hospitals experiencing delays of up to 4-5 months.
Speaking to ANI, Dr Ashok Mahajan, who was the Former President of Haryana IMA, said, ” IMA Haryana does not want to withdraw Ayushman services; it is being forced to! Hospitals have bills running into crores and are unable to pay their doctors, staff and vendors. They are forced to take this step to prevent further losses. They seem to be funding this government scheme; SHA pays late, and deductions are made without any reason.” He further added, “Nearly 650-700 private hospitals all over Haryana will withdraw services. Assurances are plenty, but payment is much less! After our protests, the government pays every 3-4 months and then waits for the next protest. Even after assurances from the highest offices in the State, our dues keep on piling up.”
IMA Haryana has written a letter to the CEO AB HPA Haryana, saying that the scheme is facing several challenges. The letter states that the sche,e is facing recurrent problems in Haryana due to the apathy of the Government itself. It added, “Time and again, we have been apprising officials of irregular payments, at times delayed by 4-5 months.”
This decision will affect numerous hospitals across districts like Gurugram, Faridabad, and Karnal, which have significant numbers of beneficiaries relying on the scheme for medical treatment. Over 1.2 crore people in Haryana are enrolled in the Ayushman Bharat scheme, including low-income families and senior citizens. The withdrawal of private hospitals may lead to difficulties in accessing healthcare services, putting additional pressure on government hospitals.
The Haryana government has assured that the process of releasing funds has begun, and they are hopeful of resolving the issue within a week.
