Aarogyasri patients face crisis as hospitals in Telangana declare indefinite blockage over unpaid medical bills

Over 360 small and medium hospitals in Telangana will stop treating Aarogyasri beneficiaries from Tuesday midnight over Rs 1,300–Rs 1,400 crore in unpaid bills. TANHA, representing these hospitals, says repeated government assurances have gone unmet, pushing hospitals toward financial collapse

Hyderabad: Small and medium hospitals from Telangana on Monday announced an indefinite blockage of healthcare services to the beneficiaries of the Aarogyasri health insurance scheme from Tuesday midnight, over pending medical bills.

The decision to withhold services was made after a series of meetings over the past 20 days between hospital managements and health authorities, including the Health Minister, which failed to yield any positive results.

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At present, according to Telangana Network Hospitals Association for Aarogyasri (TANHA), which is spearheading the protests and represents over 360 hospitals in Telangana, the State government is yet to clear medical bills worth Rs 1300 crore to Rs 1400 crore.

In a notice to the Aarogyasri Health Care Trust (AHCT) on Monday, TANHA members regretted that multiple meetings with health authorities and the Health Minister did not yield any positive results regarding the release of pending medical bills.

“There are many problems in delivering effective services to the beneficiaries of Aarogyasri, EHS, and JHS, with a looming danger of closure of many of our members’ hospitals in view of financial overburden,” TANHA said.

In January this year, the TANHA members had conducted a similar protest, after which the State government had made promises to meet their demands. However, eight months and multiple meetings later, none of the assurances and promises made by the State government have been met.

Some of the major demands of TANHA include redrafting of MoUs (terms and conditions) with member hospitals, revision of packages, regular payments, establishment of a redressal mechanism, and unilateral issue of circulars without any concern or consideration. The TAHNA members are also demanding bifurcation between Aarogyasri, EHS, JHS, preferential payment and stopping cancellations/deductions due to amounts.

Most of us are unable to bear the financial burden because of delayed payment. We are unable to pay salaries to doctors, so they are not willing to work. Suppliers are not willing to supply as their amounts are due for many more months, TANHA added.