CHANDIGARH/GURUGRAM — Cashless healthcare in Haryana faces a severe crisis as empanelled private hospitals, led by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Haryana, have threatened to suspend all services under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) starting April 20, 2026. The ultimatum follows reports that outstanding reimbursements to private healthcare facilities have hit ₹400 crore, with some payments pending since September 2025.
Financial Strain and Operational Bottlenecks
The IMA Haryana chapter addressed a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of the Ayushman Bharat Health Protection Authority (ABHPA) and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, highlighting that hospitals are operating under “extreme financial strain”. Although the scheme mandates claim settlement within 15 days, many hospitals have not received dues for over six months, even after resolving all clinical and documentation queries.
The association also pointed to “policy paralysis” at the Haryana Health Protection Authority (HHPA), partially due to the absence of a full-time CEO and the failure to convene regular committee meetings for the last five months.
Key Grievances Raised by IMA Haryana:
- Persistent Delays: Payments from September 2025 remain outstanding despite funds allegedly being transferred by the State Finance Department to the health authority in November last year.
- Committee Inactivity: Decision-making regarding new empanelments and specialties has stalled because grievance and empanelment committees have not met monthly as required.
- Unkept Promises: The IMA notes that assurances given by the government in early 2025, including the appointment of IMA representatives to advisory panels, have yet to be implemented.
Impact on Beneficiaries
Haryana has approximately 1.40 crore active Ayushman Bharat cards, covering nearly half the state’s population. If the 650+ empanelled private hospitals proceed with the walkout on April 20, hundreds of thousands of underprivileged patients requiring planned surgeries and tertiary care will be left without access to critical medical services.
Government Response
While official statements from late March indicated that around ₹250 crore was recently released and that payments are being processed on a regular basis, the IMA maintains that intermediate case payments and specialized treatment dues remain heavily backlogged.
