IMA Raipur Raises Concern Over 6-Month Delay in Ayushman Payments
Raipur: The members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Raipur unit have raised concerns with Chhattisgarh Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal regarding the difficulties faced by private hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
One of the key issues raised was the inclusion of Above Poverty Line (APL) beneficiaries, which is unique to Chhattisgarh, as most states extend the scheme only to Below Poverty Line (BPL) patients.
The delegation highlighted that hospitals are struggling to sustain quality care due to inadequate financial packages, which have remained unchanged despite rising inflation. Another major grievance was the six-month delay in payments under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which has caused severe financial distress, forcing some hospitals to rely on loans to manage expenses.
Dr. Kuldeep Solanki, President of IMA Raipur, emphasized the need for timely disbursement of funds to hospitals to prevent further financial strain. He also urged the government to form a dedicated committee to monitor the scheme’s implementation, recommending that an IMA representative be included to ensure transparency.
Talking to Medical Dialogues, Dr. Kuldeep Solanki stated, “The main concerns include that hospitals are struggling to provide quality care due to inadequate packages, which have not been increased despite rising inflation. Hospitals have not received payments for more than six months, leading to a financial crunch and forcing some to take loans. Hence, timely payment to hospitals is crucial.”
Additionally, the delegation requested the government to review the cases of hospitals that have been delisted from the Ayushman Bharat scheme and called for a temporary halt on further delistings until fair decisions are made. With private hospitals under financial pressure, the delegation stressed the importance of policy revisions and structured oversight to maintain quality healthcare services in the state.
“The IMA has urged the government to set up a committee to oversee the scheme, which should also include a representative of the IMA to ensure transparency. Hospitals that have been excluded from the Ayushman scheme should be heard as soon as possible and a sympathetic decision should be taken on them. Till then such action should be stopped,” the association stated in a press release.
