Haryana private hospitals suspend Ayushman services over outstanding dues
The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Haryana, has warned of a complete withdrawal of services from September 16 if the dues are not cleared
On September 1, 2026, private hospitals under Haryana's Ayushman Bharat scheme suspended services for 24 hours in protest of outstanding payments totaling several hundred crores. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) of Haryana has threatened a complete withdrawal of services starting September 16 unless the dues are cleared. The association's Chairman, Ajay Mahajan, stated that private hospitals typically file around 2,500 claims daily, but none were submitted on Tuesday due to the protest.
Mahajan emphasized that hospitals wish to assist needy patients but cannot continue charity at doctors' expense.
The Haryana Health Department refuted the claim, asserting that Ayushman services were operating normally. IMA Haryana President Sunila Soni informed The Hindu that approximately ₹1,200 crore remained unpaid since January. The IMA had warned the CEO of the Ayushman Health Protection Authority a week prior that services would be suspended on September 1 due to delayed payments.
The letter highlighted that despite assurances over the past three years, the issue remains unresolved. Soni noted that the government had repeatedly offered partial payments when hospitals threatened to withdraw services but the problem persisted. She attributed the delays to insufficient budgetary allocation, a large number of beneficiaries, and a shortage of personnel for claim processing, adding that this was the longest delay to date.
Around 650 hospitals, including government facilities, are empanelled under Ayushman Bharat in Haryana. In August 2025, private hospitals halted Ayushman treatments for 19 days before resuming services following assurances from government agencies. The State Health Authority reported that ₹570 crore had been paid to private hospitals this year, with the remainder pending processing.
Additionally, 200 private hospitals have applied for re-empanelment, and 75 have sought to add new specialities, indicating ongoing interest in the scheme. IMA representatives are scheduled to meet with the Ayushman CEO on Wednesday to discuss the situation.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu - Sci-Tech's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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