Private hospitals to discontinue services under Ayushman Bharat scheme: IMA

Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) state unit has announced that private hospitals in the state would no longer offer treatment under the Ayushmaan Bharat scheme.

Dr Sunil Katyal, president of IMA Punjab, said the decision had been forced by the state government’s failure to clear outstanding dues amounting to Rs 600 crores, leaving the hospitals in a precarious financial situation.

Dr Katyal said despite numerous meetings and discussions with the CEO of the State Health Agency and various officials from the Punjab Health Ministry, no concrete action had been taken to address the issue.

He emphasised the IMA had tried all possible avenues to resolve the matter through dialogue and negotiation, but the lack of any meaningful progress had left private hospitals with no choice but to opt out of the scheme.

While regretting the possible hardship the decision would cause, he said the situation had become untenable for private hospitals as many of these institutions were struggling to meet their financial obligations, including loan repayments and the operational costs necessary to run their facilities.