Private hospitals to resume free health services under Sehat Scheme today

Srinagar, Sep 13: In a significant development that brings relief to thousands of patients in Jammu and Kashmir, private hospitals and dialysis centres empanelled under the Sehat scheme have agreed to resume operations from Saturday.

This decision comes after assurances from the authorities regarding the disbursement of pending bills amounting to Rs 160 crore. The announcement marks the end of a service suspension that began on September 2, when these healthcare providers halted their participation in the free health insurance scheme due to payment issues.

The suspension has caused considerable concern among beneficiaries who rely on the scheme for essential medical services.

A senior Health Department official confirmed that Secretary Health, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, convened a crucial meeting with representatives of private hospitals and dialysis centres following a directive from the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on September 11.

The court had instructed the J&K administration to utilise available funds for reimbursing medical claims.

“In compliance with the High Court’s directions, all outstanding dues will be disbursed in the shortest possible time,” an official said. The resumption of services comes against the backdrop of a complex legal and administrative scenario. On August 28, the High Court issued an order (AA No 01 of 2024) directing the insurance company IFFCO Tokio to “continue with the existing arrangement as per terms and conditions of the contract agreement” in the interest of public welfare.

However, the insurance company allegedly did not comply with this order, leading to the current crisis.

President of the Kashmir Region J&K Hospitals and Dialysis Centres Association, Faizan Mir provided insight into the timeline of events leading to the service suspension.

“An official meeting regarding this matter was held with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in April 2024, who assured that the matter would be solved by the first week of May 2024,” Mir said.

He said that after failed payment releases, the association had applied to the Chief Secretary through the CEO of Ayushman Bharat on May 18 requesting fund release by May 31.

General Secretary of the association, Dr Masood-ul-Hassan expressed optimism about the latest developments.

“Based on the assurances by Secretary Health Syed Abid Rasheed Shah today that the payment will be released in the shortest possible time, and for the benefit of the public at large, a decision was taken to resume the services under the golden card from tomorrow morning (Saturday),” he said.

The association thanked key officials working on resolving the issue, including Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Secretary Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, and CEO Sanjiv M Gadkar.

This resolution is expected to restore access to critical healthcare services for numerous patients across J&K who depend on the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

As the situation continues to evolve, stakeholders remain hopeful that a long-term solution will be implemented to prevent future disruptions in this essential public health initiative.