Maha to mandate health schemes empanelment for all charitable hospitals: Devendra Fadnavis
Maharashtra: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday informed the Assembly that the state government will soon make empanelment under central and state health schemes mandatory for all charitable hospitals. The decision will be taken after reviewing the legal framework and ensuring transparency in the utilisation of funds meant for poor patients.
The information was shared while responding to a question from MLA Bhimrao Tapkir. Fadnavis also said that charitable hospitals had previously shown hesitation in implementing schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) and the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY), citing low package rates.
Fadnavis said that the court has not granted any stay on its implementation. The High Court has asked the Law and Judiciary Departments to hear the hospitals' concerns. According to the changed rules, the schemes must be implemented. However, now that the case is up for hearing, further action will be taken as per the law.
He further stated that the government will introduce changes in the ongoing session to strengthen monitoring and ensure accountability, which will ensure the transparent use of IPF funds. Charitable hospitals will be required to disclose base treatment rates and package costs. These changes will allow for better tracking of utilisation and compliance.
According to an HT Media news report, 479 charitable hospitals are registered under the Public Trusts Act, 1950, in Maharashtra, but only 134 have been empanelled, while the remaining 345 hospitals have not yet implemented the scheme. These hospitals receive concessions such as subsidised land, floor space index (FSI), and tax and utility benefits in exchange for providing free or subsidised treatment to economically disadvantaged patients.
Under the Indigent Patients Fund (IPF) scheme, launched following Bombay High Court directions in September 2006, charitable hospitals are required to contribute two per cent of their gross billings for free or discounted treatment of poor patients and reserve beds for them.
