Srinagar: The legal tussle between the Jammu and Kashmir government and non-payment of to empanelled hospitals have cast a shadow on smooth functioning of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), commonly known as 'Golden Card' scheme, in Jammu and Kashmir following backing out of its contract by the insurer company and lack of redressal by the Jammu and Kahsmhir government.
Empanelled hospital owners told ETV Bharat that due to non-payment they are facing a "dire situation" and the financial crunch will force them to shut down the free service and their hospitals. Jammu-based empanelled hospitals informed the Jammu and Kashmir administration of closing down the service from June 15 as their losses are mounting and they are unable to pay salaries and buy medicine and other equipment from distributors.
"We do not wish to stop the service given our empathy with the patients, who are always in need of treatment, but we are forced to stop the services under Ayushman scheme due to non-payment of bills from March. Our bank loan interest is increasing, we are not able to pay salary to our employee, electricity, water bills and bills to distributors and suppliers," an empanelled hospital owner from Jammu told ETV Bharat.
He said that they are running the services till now knowing that "human life is important which motivates us to provide healthcare to patients and not stop the service."
The empanelled hospital owners called on the State Health Agency Chief Executive Officer a day ago and informed him about their "dire situation. While their counterparts in the Kashmir Valley met Chief Secretary Atal Dullo on Wednesday to apprise him of about the imminent closure of the scheme by empanelled hospitals.
"We have held several meetings with the chief secretary, commissioner health and CEO SHA (State Health Agency), but all officials are citing the sub judice alibi. There is nothing concrete being done for our payment," a hospital owner in Srinagar told ETV Bharat.
The hiccup in the smooth delivery of Auyshman Bharat Sehat Scheme rose last year when the insurer, IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance Company Limited unilaterally terminated its three-year contract with the Jammu and Kashmir government in November last year. The contract was executed for three years starting from March, 10, 2022 and would have ended on March, 14, 2025.
The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), commonly known as 'Golden Card' scheme, was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018 to provide health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakhs to all residents of Jammu and Kashmir. The scheme, a ray of hope for patients that enables them to avail healthcare at private hospitals for free.
"The government must listen to us and resolve our grievances, but from the meetings we have held with them, it seems administration is buying time," the owners said. Jammu and Kashmir chief secretary Atal Dulloo could not be contacted as he did not reply to phone calls from ETV Bharat.
Read more: PM Modi's 'Revolutionary' Health Insurance Scheme in Jammu and Kashmir Faces Closure
