MP Barne demands action against hospitals denying treatment under PMJAY scheme
Shrirang Barne, Member of Parliament (MP) from Maval, has alleged that several private hospitals in Pune district are reportedly refusing to provide treatment to patients, especially senior citizens, under the Ayushman Bharat—Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY). Barne recently met Union health minister JP Nadda in Delhi and demanded strict action against such hospitals. (HT FILE)
Barne recently met Union health minister JP Nadda in Delhi and demanded strict action against such hospitals. The MP submitted a list of 148 hospitals, including civic and private medical centres, empanelled under the scheme in Pune district to the central minister and urged inclusion of more hospitals under the scheme.
Following the meeting, Nadda instructed officials to collect information about the hospitals in question. Barne on Friday said that the Union minister has assured strict action against those hospitals that are deliberately denying benefits under the PMJAY scheme, launched on September 23, 2018, that aims to provide free and quality healthcare services to the poor and needy citizens.
According to Barne, of the 168 empanelled hospitals in Pune district, only a few are providing services under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. He urged the Centre to take legal action against hospitals intentionally avoiding the scheme and demanded immediate directives to all empanelled hospitals to strictly implement it. He proposed the creation of a dedicated monitoring mechanism to ensure that senior citizens receive timely, hassle-free treatment under the scheme.
'Under the Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, citizens get up to ₹ 1.5 lakh assistance, while Ayushman Bharat provides up to ₹ 5 lakh,' he said.
Meanwhile, a senior health official, coordinating the scheme in Pune District, on request of anonymity, said, 'The scheme is regularly monitored in the district and action is taken against errant hospitals. Citizens can complain to the district coordinating office if they face such issues.'
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