Rajasthan Releases Partial RGHS dues amid threat from private hospitals
Private Hospitals Protest Pending RGHS Payments
Jaipur: Amid mounting pressure from private hospitals threatening to suspend cashless medical services, the Rajasthan government on Saturday released a partial payment of pending dues under the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS). The move aims to temporarily ease the growing crisis, but hospital associations continue to demand full payment of outstanding bills.
Private hospitals had earlier issued an ultimatum, warning they would stop providing cashless treatment to RGHS beneficiaries starting July 15 unless outstanding dues—some pending for over seven months—were cleared in full.
According to the news reports, private hospital associations claim that bills for cashless treatment have been pending for over seven months, amounting to around Rs 980 crore. While they acknowledged the government's release of partial payments, they insist that all outstanding dues, particularly those up to March 2025, must be cleared to ensure uninterrupted services.
Dr. Vijay Kapoor, President of the Private Hospitals Association, earlier stated that some hospitals had even been de-empanelled or penalised based on AI-generated audits, while their legitimate dues remain unpaid, reports TOI.
Speaking to TOI, a senior official from a private hospital said, "This is a welcome step, but not a complete resolution. Our bills are still not fully paid. We haven't withdrawn our call to stop cashless treatment starting July 15. A meeting with the government is scheduled to discuss the matter."
The RGHS covers a broad group of beneficiaries, including sitting and former MLAs, government employees, pensioners, and their dependents, offering them access to medical care at empanelled private hospitals without the need for upfront payment.
Hospital representatives emphasized that delays in payments are making it financially unviable to provide cashless treatment. They called on the government to settle outstanding dues promptly to prevent any disruption in patient care.
Health Minister Gajendra Khimsar said the government will soon hold a meeting with private hospitals and other stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS). He emphasised that the health department, which recently took over RGHS from the finance department, is committed to resolving the issue. "We are open to talks and will engage with all parties concerned. Our priority is to ensure that beneficiaries continue to receive the benefits of RGHS without disruption," said Khimsar, reports TOI.
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