Punjab pvt hosps refuse cashless treatment

THE claims of the AAP-led Punjab government that it is providing the best healthcare facilities in the state seems to fall flat as private hospitals and nursing homes have refused to provide cashless treatment to patients under the Ayushman Bharat Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojna across the empanelled private hospitals in the state.

- HARPREET BAJWA

These hospitals claim that the state government is yet to clear an outstanding payment of Rs 600 crore for various treatments availed of under the scheme. The government says the total pending amount for both public and private hospitals is Rs 364 crore.

As per an MoU between the state health agency (SHA) and the empanelled hospitals, the payment for each case must be completed within 15 days once the patient is discharged. This decision is supposed benefit 42 lakh beneficiaries, of which 13 lakh have been registered under the below poverty line category in Punjab.