Patients in Himachal Pradesh will no longer be able to avail treatment under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the state-run Himcare scheme at Ayurveda hospitals, following the de-empanelment of 21 Ayurvedic institutions across the state.
Order issued by HP Swasthya Bima Yojna Society
The decision was conveyed through an order issued by the Chief Executive Officer of the HP Swasthya Bima Yojna Society. According to the order, the Ayurveda hospitals have been removed from the empanelled list because there is currently no provision to migrate them to the Hospital Engagement Module (HEM) 2.0 under AB-PMJAY.
Temporary de-empanelment expected
Sources in the Health Department indicated that the de-empanelment is likely to be temporary. The hospitals could be re-empanelled once suitable applications and treatment packages for Ayurveda institutions are incorporated into the AB-PMJAY platform.
Low patient footfall cited
Health department officials maintained that the move is unlikely to cause major inconvenience to beneficiaries, citing the comparatively low patient footfall in Ayurveda hospitals under the two schemes. “Most beneficiaries seek treatment in allopathic hospitals. The number of claims and patient visits in Ayurvedic institutions is significantly lower,” an official said.
Ongoing scrutiny of health schemes
The development comes amid continuing scrutiny of both Himcare and AB-PMJAY in the state. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has repeatedly alleged irregularities in the implementation of Himcare and has advocated reforms to improve transparency and efficiency.
Payment delays affecting scheme benefits
At the same time, delays in payments to medical suppliers have affected the functioning of both schemes, leading to shortages of certain medicines and medical equipment and limiting the benefits available to patients.
