Hospitals Demand Tariff Hike In Arogyasri

Private hospitals under APNA (AP Private Hospitals & Nursing Homes Association) and ASHA (AP Speciality Hospitals Association) have announced that they are in no position to continue the Arogyasri service from the 3rd of May, if the tariffs for these packages are not hiked.

They demand a 30% hike in the amount provided by the government, which has reportedly not been reviewed for 6 years, despite costs incurred by the hospitals having gone up exponentially. They claim that the current rates only provided for about 50% of the costs incurred in treatment, equipment, medicines, and other necessities.

The associations have served a notice to the Arogyasri Trust, saying that they will stop admitting Arogyasri patients from next month, if the tariff hasn't been revised.

Around 270 hospitals are included under APNA and ASHA in the Arogyasri Scheme, a health scheme specifically for the poor that was introduced by the late Chief Minister Y S Rajashekhar Reddy.