SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, Oct 2: Private hospitals in Jharkhand have announced their inability to continue providing treatment under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and Mukhya Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (MMJAY) due to non-payment of service charges.
The government has partnered with over 250 private hospitals, both large and small, to offer medical services to beneficiaries. However, these hospitals have not received payment for their services for the past four months.
Concerns over irregularities
Reports indicate that the Executive Director of the National Health Mission (NRHM) has halted payments following the discovery of irregularities in three hospitals.
The PMJAY program holds particular significance for Jharkhand, as it was launched by the Prime Minister from Ranchi on September 23, 2018, enabling beneficiaries to access health services worth up to Rs 5 lakh.
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AHPI’s appeal for Govt intervention
The Association of Health Providers of India (AHPI), Jharkhand chapter, has expressed grave concerns over the non-payment issue, emphasising that the government’s neglect has left them unable to sustain health services under these schemes.
During a meeting on Tuesday evening, AHPI office bearers urged Chief Minister Hemant Soren to intervene and expedite the release of pending payments to ensure that poor patients in Jharkhand do not suffer due to this situation.
Criticism of payment hold-up
AHPI representatives pointed out that it is unjust to withhold payments to 247 service provider institutions due to the actions of just three hospitals.
They highlighted that hospitals are required to obtain approval from the Third Party Administrator (TPA) of the insurance company and the National Health Authority (NHA) before treating patients under MMJAY.
They questioned the fairness of compelling hospitals to treat patients under these schemes while simultaneously withholding payment for services rendered.
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Monitoring and previous irregularities
The central government oversees the implementation of the PMJAY scheme in registered hospitals and has directed the state government to investigate any alleged irregularities.
Last year, the Enforcement Directorate asked for a list of hospitals involved in the program, leading to the cancellation of registrations for three hospitals after irregularities were confirmed.
