Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has suspended the Ayushman Bharat empanelment of four private hospitals which were found involved in malpractice, unauthorised cash transactions, and violating guidelines. The suspension will remain in effect for six months.
The hospitals, include Shifa Hospital and Florence Hospital in Srinagar and Ankur Maitriks Hospital and Sood Eye Care Centre in Jammu.
The order issued by the State Health Authority (SHA) said that a nearly Rs 40 lakh penalty has also been imposed on the hospitals for alleged financial irregularities and extortion of money from patients under the free healthcare scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
As per the order, a penalty of over Rs 26 lakh has been imposed on Shifa Hospital and around Rs 3 lakh on Florence Hospital for the illegal payments collected from aggrieved beneficiaries.
Similarly, a fine of over Rs 10 lakh has been imposed on Ankur Maitriks Hospital, while a fine of Rs 50,000 has been imposed on another hospital, namely KLSM Rotary Eye Hospital, Udhampur.
The aforementioned hospitals have been asked to deposit the penalty amount within 5 working days. “If the hospital fails to deposit the penalty/fine amount within the stipulated time, the same shall be adjusted with the pending payment to the EHCP without any further notice,” the order reads.
However, SHA said the dialysis facilities for kidney patients would continue in these hospitals. It has been learnt that the SHA inspected several private hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir in November, and during the inspection, five hospitals were violating the norms as money was being collected from patients despite using Ayushman cards.
During the inspection of two private hospitals in Kashmir, Shifa and Florence, the health agency found several irregularities in the finances, including extortion of money from patients and other transactions.
Sources further said that the Ayushman Bharat services have been suspended in two hospitals in Jammu province for 6 months, while a fine was also imposed on both hospitals. According to the spokesperson, dialysis services will continue during the suspension, but no new dialysis patients will be registered in these hospitals.
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