Pvt hosps in Dhanbad to stop patient intake under Ayushman

Dhanbad: Private hospitals in Dhanbad have decided to stop treating patients under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana until the state government clears all their dues. “The hospitals are finding it difficult to continue further treatment under the scheme and the dues have made it difficult for the hospitals to pay their doctors and the support staff,” Dr Nikhil Drolia, who works at Patliputra Nursing Home and is the spokesperson of Dhanbad Private Hospitals’ Association (DPHA), said on Saturday.
The cumulative dues of all the 25 private hospitals in Dhanbad have allegedly gone up to Rs 10 crore in the last five months. “As per the MoU signed with the government, the state has to clear the dues of all private hospitals within a fortnight, but it hasn’t done so since November last year.” Dr Drolia said.
As per the doctor, the hospitals have already written to Dhanbad civil surgeon Dr S K Kant twice for clearing their dues but it was all in vain. “We have been told that the insurance agency will clear our dues but as per the MoU, it is solely the government’s responsibility to clear them,” Dr Drolia added.
When asked, Dr Kant said the matter has been communicated to the yojana’s state project director, Bhuvanesh Pratap Singh.
Singh, on the other hand, said that the government has already paid Rs 160 crore to the insurance agency and the agency will clear the dues after proper verification of the hospitals’ claims. “There is no due on the part of the government,” assured Singh.
He added that action will be taken against those hospitals who have stopped treating patients under the yojana.