Private Hospitals Stall Arogyasri Services Over Dues

The ongoing denial of services by private and network hospitals under the Arogyasri scheme due to the Telangana government yet to clear pending bills of Rs 1,500 crore under the scheme to such hospitals, entered the third day today.

The hospitals have reportedly stalled both general and emergency services under Arogyasri. This is having an adverse impact on the common people availing themselves of healthcare services under the scheme, and is leading to a huge rush of patients to government hospitals, including Osmania General Hospital, Gandhi Hospital, NIMS and 242 other hospitals.

The government has been holding talks to resolve the problem, but they have so far failed to yield results. Health Minister Etala Rajender's talks with the hospitals a few days back ended in a stalemate - the hospitals demanded that the government pay the full Rs 1,500 crore in one go and Rajender reportedly offered to pay only Rs 500 crore immediately, resulting in 242 hospitals not agreeing to resume services.

Rs 300 crore were reportedly released to the hospitals after the talks with Rajender, which mean the dues are now only Rs 1,200 crore.

The hospitals are urging the minister to revise the Arogyasri scheme MoU of 2007 to meet the current realities, and include bills in the green channel.