Aarogyasri Services: Arogyasree network hospital owners have issued a warning that medical services under the Arogyasree scheme in private hospitals in Telangana state are likely to be suspended from January 10. The main reason for this is non-payment of dues to private hospitals from the government for the past one year. Due to the lack of agreement between the government and private hospitals, hospitals facing financial difficulties are taking steps towards stopping services.
Aarogyasri Services in Telangana’s Private Hospitals
The Telangana Arogyasree Network Hospitals Association (TANA) has conveyed this to the CEO of Arogyasree through an e-mail expressing their grievances to the owners of the private hospitals. According to them, at present the arrears of around Rs.1000 crores have accumulated across the state. For this reason, Tana made it clear that private hospitals should not provide more services under the Arogyasree scheme from January 10. Further, Tana said there are also high arrears on Government Employees Health Scheme (EHS) and Journalists Health Scheme (JHS).
Tana alleged that although the ‘first claim, first payment’ policy was in force in the past, now the Congress government has come to power and is giving priority to government hospitals in the payment of Arogyasree bills. Allegedly, due to this policy, private hospitals are not getting proper payments and dues are also increasing. Tana has asked the government to pay the pending dues by the 10th, or else it will face suspension of services.
Further, according to the government’s claim, it has released around Rs 820 crore to network hospitals last year. According to the government’s claim, the arrears under the previous government (BRS) have also been settled and Arogyasree’s arrears will not exceed Rs 400 crore. It remains to be seen how this controversy will end, but now the issue is likely to affect the health of the people of the state.