Haryana hospitals to continue AB-PMJAY strike despite partial payments

IMA Haryana says hospitals will continue Ayushman Bharat services suspension over Rs 500 crore dues, citing trust deficit with state health agency despite partial repayments

Officials from the Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) Haryana unit on Wednesday said the body will proceed with suspending services under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) from today over pending reimbursements to hospitals empanelled under the scheme.

 

This decision comes despite the state health agency (SHA) stating that partial repayment of outstanding dues to empanelled hospitals was initiated on a “first in, first out” basis from August 4.

 

In its July 28 notice, the hospital body alleged inaction by the state government over dues pending for six to seven months, despite repeated representations and assurances.

 

“Around Rs 500 crore in dues are pending to be paid to private hospitals empanelled under the scheme in Haryana,” Dhirendra Soni, honorary secretary of IMA Haryana, told Business Standard.

 

IMA Haryana had issued a similar warning in January this year, which was withdrawn after the government released partial reimbursements.

 

A statement from the SHA said it had processed and paid claims submitted by empanelled hospitals up to the first week of May 2025.

 

“A total of Rs 2,900 crore has been disbursed to hospitals since the inception of the scheme. During the financial year 2025–26, up to July 16, 2025, an amount of Rs 240.63 crore has been received from the state and central governments and fully utilised for settlement of eligible claims,” the statement added.

 

Soni, however, said hospitals have a trust deficit with the SHA, which has not offered a concrete solution to the year-long problem.

 

Calling delays in reimbursement a recurring issue, an administrator of a Gurugram-based hospital empanelled under PMJAY said the Haryana government had failed to find a permanent solution, leading to cash shortages in hospitals.

 

The IMA has also urged the government to pay 1 per cent interest per week for any delay exceeding 15 days.

 

“This is part of the contract signed by hospitals while empanelling under the PM-JAY scheme, but no hospital has received such payment from the government despite the heavy pendency of claims,” Soni said.

 

The AB-PMJAY scheme provides health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per family and currently enlists 1,341 hospitals in Haryana, of which around 650 are in the private sector.

 

Hospitals empanelled under the scheme provide free treatment to registered patients and later raise reimbursement requests on an online portal. These are reviewed and cleared by a state agency before payments are disbursed.

 

Another issue raised by hospitals is the introduction of the Chirayu scheme, a state health insurance programme running parallel to the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme.

 

“While hospitals have been enthusiastically participating in Ayushman Bharat since its launch in 2022, the launch of Chirayu cards in November 2022 has made payments very erratic due to the sheer number of beneficiaries,” the IMA Haryana said in an open letter to the state government.