The Hospital Board of India (HBI) and the Jharkhand chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have issued a strong warning that private hospitals across the state may soon withdraw from the Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana (MMJAY), commonly known as the Ayushman Bharat scheme. This comes in response to prolonged delays by the state government in clearing outstanding dues.
According to HBI, several hospitals in districts like Giridih, Palamu, and Hazaribag have already halted services under the scheme. Dr. Anant Sinha, chairman of IMA-HBI (Jharkhand), emphasized that MMJAY has been a lifeline for underprivileged citizens, with around 88% of Jharkhand’s population eligible for free healthcare through the program. However, private hospitals have not received reimbursements for the services they’ve provided over the last 10 months, making it increasingly difficult for them to operate.
Out of the 750 private hospitals enrolled in the scheme, 212 have not received any payments for nearly a year. The remaining 538 hospitals are awaiting payments for the last three months, with total dues exceeding Rs 140 crore.
Dr. Pradeep Kumar Singh, state IMA secretary, expressed frustration, stating, “Patients continue to arrive with Ayushman cards, but without funds, we cannot sustain our operations. We want to serve the poor, but the government has left us with no choice.”
Adding to the strain are complications arising from objections raised by the National Anti-Fraud Unit. Dr. Abhishek Ramadhin, state coordinator of IMA-HBI, noted, “We’re not officially being asked to stop treating patients, yet we’re not receiving payments either. This situation is simply unjust.”
