Haryana :600 private hospitals in Haryana threaten  strike over Ayushman dues 


The Indian Medical Association (IMA), representing nearly 600 private hospitals empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat scheme (PMJAY) in Haryana, has warned of suspending treatment services under the scheme from February 3 if their dues of Rs 400 crore are not cleared. Meanwhile, the government has expressed optimism about resolving the issue, stating that Rs 150 crore has already been released and the remaining payment will be made within a week.
IMA Haryana president Mahaveer P Jain told that most private hospitals have received negligible payments from the government since August 2024 for treating patients under the scheme. Of the 1,300 hospitals empanelled in Haryana, around 600 are private.
In a letter to Ayushman BhIarat Haryana CEO Sangeeta Tetarwal on Saturday, the IMA Haryana unit said that suspending services would create unnecessary difficulties for poor residents of the state, adding that “responsibility for the same will fall with the department.”
“Empanelled hospitals in Haryana have been enthusiastically participating in this scheme since its launch in 2018. Unfortunately, the launch of Chirayu cards in November 2022 made payments very erratic due to the sheer numbers,” said IMA Haryana president Jain and honorary secretary Dhirendar K Soni.
According to the letter, IMA representatives met Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on January 8, who ordered the immediate release of pending dues. “It is very unfortunate that even after 15 days, our members have not received any significant payments, and even the amounts received include large, unwarranted deductions,” they said. The association has also demanded a separate annual allocation of Rs 2,000 crore for the scheme.
Ayushman Bharat Haryana CEO Sangeeta Tetarwal told “There were issues of funds with the department, which have now been sorted out. Over the past 3–4 days, we released payments of nearly Rs 150 crore. The remaining payments will also be disbursed next week.”
Officials say private hospitals raise monthly bills of Rs 80–90 crore for treating patients under the scheme.
To expand the scheme’s reach, the Haryana BJP government launched the Chirayu scheme in 2022. Under ‘Chirayu Ayushman Bharat Yojana’, the state offers free annual treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh for families with an annual income of up to Rs 1.80 lakh. For families earning between Rs 1.80 lakh and Rs 3 lakh annually, this benefit is extended for an annual contribution of Rs 1,500.
Last month, the Chief Minister said the state had spent Rs 2,139 crore on medical care for 16 lakh families under the Ayushman-Chirayu Yojana since 2018. A few months ago, he also stated that 1.19 crore Ayushman and Chirayu cards had been issued, with plans to issue 30 lakh more.
In November 2024, Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatraya announced in the state assembly that the free treatment limit under the Chirayu scheme would be raised to Rs 10 lakh annually. Officials said this limit would be increased further in the near future.

source Indian Express