Final warning issued as hospitals face de-empanelment risk amid HEM 2.0 portal delays
The Central Government has granted private hospitals a final extension to complete mandatory empanelment formalities under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), setting April 30, 2026, as the last date. Authorities have made it clear that no further extensions will be provided beyond this deadline.
Extension granted due to technical glitches on HEM 2.0 portal
The decision follows an office memorandum issued on March 28 by Dr Satheesh Y H, allowing hospitals additional time to sign their Memorandum of Agreement (MoA).
The extension comes after multiple healthcare providers reported technical issues with the newly launched HEM 2.0 portal, a digital platform introduced to modernize and streamline the empanelment process. While the system aims to improve transparency and efficiency, its rollout has led to delays in application submissions.
De-empanelment from May 1 if deadline missed
Despite the relief, the government has issued a strict warning:
Hospitals failing to complete the empanelment process by April 30 will be removed from the CGHS panel starting May 1, 2026.
Such hospitals will:
- Lose eligibility to provide cashless treatment to CGHS beneficiaries
- Be unable to raise reimbursement claims
- Require a fresh application for re-empanelment
Direct impact on hospital revenues and patient care
Empanelment under CGHS is crucial for private hospitals, as only listed institutions can offer cashless treatment and receive government reimbursements.
Any disruption in empanelment could significantly affect:
- Hospital cash flows
- Continuity of patient care
- Access to treatment for lakhs of beneficiaries
Officials stated that once empanelled, claims are generally processed within 90 days. They also highlighted that CGHS rates were revised in October 2025 and that penalties exist for hospitals denying or delaying treatment.
Patients highlight ongoing access and grievance issues
However, concerns persist among beneficiaries. TK Damodaran from the CGHS Beneficiaries Welfare Association of India pointed out that many complaints remain unresolved, and disparities in healthcare access continue.
Hospitals cite delayed payments and rising costs
On the other hand, hospitals have raised concerns about financial sustainability. Dr Aashish Chaudhry, Managing Director of Aakash Healthcare, noted that reimbursement delays—often extending beyond three to six months—put significant strain on hospital finances, especially for smaller facilities.
He added that while patient care has not been interrupted, current reimbursement rates do not fully reflect rising operational costs, making timely payments and realistic revisions essential.
Final extension may impact lakhs of beneficiaries
The government acknowledged that technical glitches contributed to missed deadlines but emphasized that this is the last extension.
With lakhs of CGHS beneficiaries relying on private hospitals, any large-scale de-empanelment after April 30 could severely disrupt access to cashless treatment across cities.
