Chandigarh, Aug 8— Around 650 private hospitals in Haryana have suspended services under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) from August 7, citing non-payment of dues amounting to ₹490 crore, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Haryana chapter said on Thursday.
The decision comes despite last-minute talks between IMA officials and Haryana additional chief secretary (Health) Sudhir Rajpal, who had appealed to hospitals to reconsider their move and assured early release of payments. However, IMA secretary Dr. Dhirender K Soni said the discussions failed to yield a concrete resolution.
“The government itself admits that ₹490 crore is pending. How can private hospitals sustain without timely reimbursements?” Soni said. He added that repeated delays over several months have left hospitals financially strained.
The IMA had earlier warned of service suspension if dues were not cleared by August 7. Following Wednesday’s talks with officials, a virtual meeting of empanelled hospitals was held, where the final call to suspend services was taken.
Under the AB-PMJAY scheme, which offers ₹5 lakh annual health cover per family for secondary and tertiary care, hospitals provide cashless treatment, with reimbursements managed by the State Health Agency (SHA), Haryana.
In response, the state government said that it has already settled claims submitted by empanelled hospitals up to the first week of May 2025, and that ₹240.63 crore has been received and disbursed so far during the current financial year.
However, IMA officials say that even with partial settlements, the overall pendency is mounting and unsustainable for private healthcare providers.
The standoff has raised concerns over access to critical care for lakhs of patients covered under the scheme in Haryana. Further developments will depend on whether pending payments are cleared promptly or negotiations between the government and hospitals are revived.
