Initiating the process to clear dues under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, the Punjab government on Friday asked the civil surgeon’s office to send the pending bills for treatment carried out at empanelled government and private hospitals in Ludhiana.
While confirming this, civil surgeon Dr Hitinder Kaur said while government hospitals are yet to receive payment of ₹3 crore under the scheme, private hospitals are owed around ₹7 crore.
Currently, orthopaedic and other surgeries that require consumables and implants are suspended at empanelled private and civil hospitals in Ludhiana. Private hospitals suspended them last year and government ones in May.
An official said the bills of all the private and government hospitals were sought for audit and clearance.
In a communique issued on Friday evening, the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) urged Punjab to fast track its efforts to clear the dues so that they can continue providing health services to the poor and vulnerable sections of the society.
“A major chunk of surgeries at government hospitals in the state were being carried out under the scheme, but, for the last couple of months, they have been stalled due to lack of funding. Overdue payments of empanelled implants and consumables suppliers ran into crores and they have been calling doctors constantly asking for payment,” said PCMSA state president Akhil Sarin.
{{/usCountry}}“A major chunk of surgeries at government hospitals in the state were being carried out under the scheme, but, for the last couple of months, they have been stalled due to lack of funding. Overdue payments of empanelled implants and consumables suppliers ran into crores and they have been calling doctors constantly asking for payment,” said PCMSA state president Akhil Sarin.
{{/usCountry}}Sarin said that the association welcomes the government’s move of inviting the pending bills and hopes for early resolution.