Punjab: 5 private hospitals de-empanelled for allegedly misappropriating Ayushman Bharat scheme funds

These five hospitals- Akashdeep Hospital, New Life Hospital, Verma Hospital, Manu Arora hospital, and Sandhu Lifecare hospital-- have been de-empanelled following a detailed report by Deputy Medical Commissioner Dr Kaur. 

Civil Surgeon Dr. Charanjit Singh stated that as many as 87 private hospitals and 10 government hospitals empanelled by the health department under the Ayushman Bharat Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana.

Meanwhile, the Tribune reports that these 5 hospitals have shown a series of inconsistencies while acquiring funds under the scheme; one of the hospitals has claimed money under the scheme by treating a dead patient while another one used a dummy patient and presented the picture of his own family member under the scheme.

Dr. Singh further added, " the state health agency will now scrutinize the records of all hospitals who had claimed huge amounts under the scheme." Manu Arora Hospital allegedly claimed Rs 82 lakh for treating 533 patients under the scheme, and the government had already cleared Rs 70 lakh to the hospital. However, according to the daily, the owner of Manu Arora Hospital, treated a dummy patient by pasting the picture of his wife. New Life Hospital claimed Rs 48 lakh for providing treatment to 477 patients under the scheme. Rs 27 lakh for 176 patients and Rs 43 lakh for 344 patients had been claimed under the scheme by Verma hospital and Sandhu hospital respectively. Sandhu Hospital was found treating a dead patient admitted in the ICU under the scheme," the Civil Surgeon added.

The health department has initiated a thorough investigation to confirm the authenticity of the allegations and FIR will be lodged after the completion of the probe. 

Previously Medical Dialogues team reported that several doctors, ex-servicemen, and hospitals also came under the radar of the health ministry for allegedly misappropriating funds and swinging government money by misusing the funds kept under the ex-servicemen contributory health scheme (ECHS). The accused allegedly swindled the funds by claiming fake medical bills with the help of ex-servicemen cards. The station commander of Amritsar cantonment filed a complaint against the accused in the police station alleging that during an internal investigation, he found that many of the doctors and the ex-servicemen were found to be involved in a case of swindling of government funds. A report was submitted to the police by the armed forces and 24 people altogether were booked under the charges of fraud and swindling of government funds. Police after that arrested a doctor and an ex-serviceman along with his wife in connection with the case.