North News
New Delhi, September 20
The Private Hospital and Nursing Home Association (PHANA) in Punjab has announced a halt to cashless treatments under the government’s health insurance schemes, including the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). This decision comes in response to unpaid debts totaling Rs 600 crores owed by the state government. PHANA stated that private healthcare facilities across Punjab will only resume participation in these schemes once the outstanding dues are cleared.
Union Health Minister and president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), JP Nadda, criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for mismanagement, stating, “Ayushman Bharat was designed to provide medical coverage for economically backward families. Today, due to the state government’s mismanagement, people have lost access to free healthcare.”
Nadda questioned Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, asking, “Why has Chief Minister Mann’s government not settled the dues of private hospitals? Before the elections, they promised more clinics and health centers, but now, his government is failing to support the poor.” The AAP government in Punjab has been under severe financial stress since 2023, with rising state debt and dwindling revenues exacerbated by increasing subsidy costs, he said.
“I urge CM Mann to clear the hospital dues immediately, as many families, particularly our hardworking farmers, benefit from the Ayushman Bharat programme. Instead of rallying the party unit in Delhi, CM Mann should focus on the deteriorating situation in Punjab,” Nadda added.
