Punjab IMA: Private hospitals halt Ayushman Bharat services over Rs 600 crore pending dues

LUDHIANA: After Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) announced stopping of treatment under Ayushman Bharat Scheme due to pending dues not cleared by the Punjab Government, Punjab IMA on Sunday declared that private hospitals in Punjab had immediately stopped offering treatment under the scheme due to Rs.600 crores pending dues. Punjab IMA President, Dr Sunil Katyal, who is Deputy Director of a private Hospital in Ludhiana, made this declaration here on Sunday.
Punjab IMA president told TOI that decision was taken after Zoom Meeting with officer bearers, Executive members, Past Presidents of Punjab IMA, District IMA branches (they have 65 such branches in state) etc on Saturday and Sunday.He suggested that there are around 400 private hospitals in Punjab which provided treatment under Ayushman Bharat Scheme in the state and patients coming to these hospitals will not be able to great treatment under the scheme.
President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Punjab, declared that private hospitals in the state will no longer be able to offer treatment under the Ayushmaan Bharat scheme from immediate effect. He added that this decision has been forced by the Punjab government's “failure” to clear outstanding dues amounting to Rs.600 crores, leaving the hospitals in a precarious financial situation.
Dr. Sunil Katyal explained that despite numerous meetings and discussions with the CEO of the State Health Agency and various officials from the Punjab Health Ministry, no concrete action has been taken to address the issue. He “emphasized” that the IMA had tried all possible avenues to resolve the matter through dialogue and negotiation, but the lack of any meaningful progress has left private hospitals with no choice but to opt out of the scheme.
Punjab IMA president expressed his deep regret to the public, acknowledging the hardship this decision will cause, particularly to those who rely on the Ayushmaan Bharat scheme for affordable healthcare. However, he stressed that the situation has become “untenable” for private hospitals.
“Many of these institutions are now struggling to meet their financial obligations, including loan repayments and the operational costs necessary to run their facilities” Punjab IMA president said. He added that hospitals are already running in debt, and without the pending payments, they are unable to continue providing services under the government scheme.
Dr Sunil Katyal further “highlighted” that this move is not a reflection of the hospitals’ unwillingness to serve the public but rather a consequence of being forced into a financial corner. He also “urged” the Punjab government to take immediate action to resolve the issue, as the decision to withdraw from the scheme is detrimental not only to patients but also to the healthcare sector as a whole.