The Haryana Chapter of the Indian Medical Association on Monday withdrew its call to suspend treatment under the Ayushman Bharat and CHIRYU (Comprehensive Health Insurance of Antyodaya Units) schemes after the State government assured to clear all outstanding dues to private hospitals by the end of the current fiscal and more than double the allocation for the two schemes in the upcoming budget.
Emerging out of the four-hour meeting with Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Rajesh Khullar, and other senior officials at Chandigarh, IMA Haryana former president Ajay Mahajan told The Hindu over phone that the State government assured to clear ₹200 crore outstanding dues before March 31 and hike the allocation for the two schemes to around ₹2,500 crore in the upcoming budget.
“Of the total outstanding dues of ₹450 crore, the government had paid half the amount after a meeting with the CM on January 8. A series of follow-up meetings, including Monday’s meeting, were held with senior officials to resolve the matter,” said Dr. Mahajan, who led a seven-member delegation to the meeting.
The association had earlier given the call to suspend treatment from February 3 under the twin schemes if the dues were not cleared.
The association’s Election Commission chairperson Pankaj Mutneja, who was also part of the delegation, said all issues raised by them were discussed threadbare and they were “grateful” and “satisfied” with the assurances given to them. “The IMA has not stopped the treatment and looking at the response of the government and also taking into account the well being of our people hopefully we shall be continuing (the treatment). We have not stopped it at present,” said Dr. Mutneja.
In a letter to the CEO, Ayushman Bharat, this past month, the IMA, Haryana, had blamed the delay in payments due to increase in number of beneficiaries after the State government launched CHIRAYU scheme in November 2022. The scheme was launched by then Chief Minister Manohar Lal extending the benefits of Ayushman Bharat to people with annual income of up to ₹3 lakh. “Though the payments for the Ayushman Bharat have been almost in time, the delays have been more in case of claims under the CHIRAYU scheme,” alleged Dr. Mahajan.
Published – February 04, 2025 01:58 am IST