Dr Balbir Singh Issues Notices To Hospitals After India Today's Ayushman Bharat Investigation

6 hours ago

On this Special Report, Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh addresses the fallout from an India Today investigation into the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Following reports of hospitals denying treatment or illegally charging beneficiaries, the Punjab government has issued show-cause notices to JP Diagnostics in Zirakpur and Indus International Hospital in Dera Bassi. Dr Balbir Singh stated, 'Central government owes Punjab 300 crore rupees,' while criticising the funding model where the Centre allegedly pays only 20 percent despite a 60-40 cost-sharing agreement. The Minister highlighted that while the state has allocated 1200 crore rupees to cover the entire population, delays and budget limits from the Centre continue to hamper the scheme. He confirmed having raised these concerns with the Union Health Minister twice. The programme examines the friction between the state and Centre over healthcare reimbursements and the impact on 16 lakh families in Punjab.

Transcript

00:01Alright, moving on to yet another India Today impact.

00:04Days after we exposed in fact about how Ayushpan Bharati Yojana had impaneled hospitals

00:10where either treatment was being denied or illegally charging of beneficiaries was taking place.

00:16The Punjab government has now issued a show cause notice to two hospitals that were shown in that investigation.

00:23JAP Diagnostics in Ziragpur and Indus International Hospital in Derabassi.

00:28The Madhipati government has directed both hospitals to explain why Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries were refused treatment,

00:35also warning that strict action will follow if their responses are found to be unsatisfactory.

00:43Remember, on this program just last week when we brought this news,

00:47the Punjab health minister had said that he will take action.

00:51This is what he had said.

00:52So the last report that you saw there, a doctor who owns one of those hospitals says very clearly

01:00that they already have a lot of pending payment coming in from the government

01:04and which is why he simply cannot afford to run the hospital this way.

01:08If you look at the numbers as well,

01:10a total allocation of 9,406 crore was made in the union budget last year.

01:16It has already been increased by 29%.

01:19You know, budget is around the corner.

01:21We are expecting another increase to happen over there.

01:23A lot of this allocation goes directly to the states.

01:26I am trying to understand where is this money going?

01:29I will tell you,

01:31the very scheme of the central government is faulty.

01:35You see, central government owes Punjab 300 crore rupees.

01:38When we, you see, raise the will,

01:41they are supposed to give, it's a 60-40 scheme.

01:44Central government 60%,

01:45state government 40%.

01:47But they gave us only,

01:49they say that we have a budget of 105 crores for Punjab.

01:53They have a limit.

01:54So they say it's a central government scheme.

01:57So they limit the budget,

01:59but they only actually pay us 20%.

02:01So all the states are suffering because of that.

02:04This scheme is like any other scheme, you see,

02:06smart city, you see the condition of smart city Gurugram,

02:09Delhi, or any other smart city.

02:12So they announced the scheme with big fanfare,

02:15but they don't give the matching grant,

02:17which should be there.

02:18How can they fix the budget?

02:20It has to be 60%

02:21because so many people are covered with that

02:2416 lakh families in Punjab.

02:27Now we are going to give it

02:29to the entire population of Punjab

02:32and we have already kept 1200 crores for that.

02:34So the money does not come.

02:37Their portal was not coming and working.

02:39So most of the problems are with the central and that change.

02:42So states suffer because state has to,

02:44we have to face the,

02:45you see,

02:45people when they come for treatment,

02:48the money does not come from the center.

02:51So the problem is...

02:51Have you raised this issue with the center, sir?

02:53We are again going into Amati party versus BJP over here.

02:57Would you say this is the issue only with Punjab

02:59or would you say this exists across states as well?

03:03I am not saying that.

03:04I am saying that there are often delays.

03:07There are often delays

03:08and the money allocated is much less

03:10than what is the share of the center.

03:13These are facts.

03:13I can give you the facts.

03:15I have met the Honourable Union Health Minister twice for this.

03:18I have written DO letters for this.

03:19I can share with you.

03:22You see,

03:22they told us to get the UC audit done

03:25for the previous year for the Congress's name.

03:26All right.

03:29So that was the health minister over there.

03:30In fact,

03:30in the process of that interview,

03:32we did,

03:32you know,

03:33highlight the names of the hospitals

03:34and he said that he will take action.

03:36Very happy to see that that action has been taken.

03:39But remember,

03:40Ayushman's scheme is much more complicated than that.

03:43The hospitals often complain

03:44that there is no reimbursement happening from the government,

03:46which is why they can't offer these services.

03:48But that's a story we'll take on another day.

Dr Balbir Singh Issues Notices To Hospitals After India Today's Ayushman Bharat Investigation

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended