by Healthcare Crisis in Haryana as Hospitals Suspend Ayushman Scheme Over ₹490 Crore Unpaid Dues
Healthcare Crisis in Haryana Due to Hospital Suspension of Ayushman Scheme over Unpaid Dues of ₹490 Crore
India’s healthcare system is facing a major crisis in Haryana as a consequence of the state branch of the Indian Medical Association IMA announcing the cessation of services under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana PM-JAY and state’s Chirayu Yojana. This decision affects hundreds of private hospitals and has been triggered by the state’s failure to clear an outstanding debt of ₹490 crores. As a result, lakhs of beneficiaries are pushed to the economic and healthcare service interfaces without access to cashless medical treatment, further burdening the public healthcare system.
Hospitals on the Brink
Private hospital empanelled under the government’s flagship health insurance schemes are enduring relentless payment delays and financial strain, culminating in the IMA’s decision to suspend services. Hospital administrators state that a significant backlog exists for payments for services provided to patients under the Ayushman and Chirayu schemes. The lack of timely settlement of outstanding bills, some of which are over a year old, has exacerbated the severe operational cash flow challenges.
As per IMA, operating a hospital comes with considerable recurring costs, including wages, purchasing of drugs, maintenance of medical equipment, and utility payments. These healthcare institutions are struggling to remain compliant with operational requirements without timely reimbursements from the government. Funds have not been released despite multiple engagements and promises from government officials on clearing the dues. To mitigate the financial outflow, the IMA remarked that their members have no option but to suspend the schemes. The association made it clear that no services would be provided until payment defaults have been rectified and all dues have been settled.
Effect on the Most Affected People of Haryana
Suspending schemes like Ayushman Bharat and Chirayu greatly affects the very demographic it intended to protect—income challenged families. These schemes provide a vital safety net as they allow beneficiaries to receive treatment for serious illnesses at private hospitals without upfront payment. These schemes are the sole avenue for a vast majority to access quality healthcare for procedures like advanced cardiac surgeries, cancer treatment, childbirth, and other critical care services.
Given the fact that private hospitals now don’t accept these schemes, the patients have a very difficult decision to make. It is either to try and pay for treatment, which is a challenge for them, or to seek treatment from the now overburdened government hospitals. The already overstrained public healthcare system is bound to face a further unsustainable influx of patients, increasing the likelihood of longer waiting times and delays for critical care. This scenario effectively ensures that the state’s most at risk populations are unable to access timely and unobstructed care, which goes against the very essence of the Ayushman Bharat mission.
A Thematic Concern
This is not the first instance where payment processes have created a rift between the private hospitals and Haryana state government. The matter of stagnant payments has always been a sore spot between the two entities. While the government seems to consider Ayushman and Chirayu schemes as major achievements of the welfare state, the inability to seamlessly pay for services renders these schemes counterproductive. There is a strong argument that a powerful public-private partnership requires some degree of consistent financial reliability. Without that, public-private healthcare partnership frameworks become untenable.
The IMA is requesting an immediate intervention from the highest levels of the state government to break the deadlock. The next few days will be pivotal in deciding whether an answer can be reached to restore these essential healthcare services, or if the burden of this administrative and financial incompetence continues to fall on the patients.
