Punjab: Government contacted the Center regarding the dues of Ayushman Bharat Scheme

Punjab: The Punjab government has approached the Union health ministry over the issue of delayed payments to private hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) in Punjab and the state chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) had announced to stop treatment under the scheme at empanelled private hospitals in the state, claiming dues of Rs 600 crore for the past six months. Health ministry officials said the Punjab government will submit updated audit reports. “We have been provided audit reports up to 2020-21. They have also agreed to submit updated audit reports. Under the AB-PMJAY scheme, the Centre and state share costs in the ratio of 60:40,” officials said.

In 2019, Punjab integrated its state health insurance scheme with AB-PMJAY. The scheme was named Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY Mukhyamantri Sehat Bima Yojana (AB-PMJAY MMSBY). The Ayushman Bharat scheme provides cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year in 772 government and private empanelled hospitals in Punjab. As per the MoU signed between the state government and the hospitals, payment for each hospitalisation under AB-PMJAY should be completed within 15 days of the patient’s discharge. Sources said Odisha, which had not implemented AB-PMJAY along with Delhi and West Bengal, was set to join the flagship scheme that provides health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. As of September 1, 29,648 hospitals, including 12,696 private hospitals, have been empanelled under PMJAY.