The HP government withdrew empanelment of private hospitals and excluded government officials, serving and retired, from the state-funded HIMCARE scheme.
In yet another move to curtail existing benefits, the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh has cut down the scope of HIMCARE (Mukhya Mantri Himachal Health Care Scheme), a flagship health care scheme started by the previous BJP government.
As per notification by the Department of Medical Education and Research, Government of Himachal Pradesh dated July 31, 2024, the empanelment of all private hospitals for availing the benefits of HIMCARE has been withdrawn with effect from September 1, 2024.
All the government officials (serving and retired) have also been excluded from the Himcare scheme with immediate effect.
Sources said the government has withdrawn the empanelment of the private hospitals in the wake of ED raids on some private hospitals regarding a similar Ayushman Bharat scheme of the Central government, wherein there were reports of fake cards having been used to avail the benefit.
The previous BJP government had launched the HIMCARE scheme on the lines of the Ayushman Bharat, covering different categories in the scheme.
Sources said the private hospitals were empanelled for the HIMCARE scheme as the government hospitals are not equipped with all the emergency facilities.
More so, the government officials and pensioners had got registered in the scheme, because it ensured cashless admission and treatment in hospitals. The government procedures for medical reimbursement are not quick and the medical bills remain pending for a long time.
The decision to amend the benefits in HIMCARE, meanwhile, may not go well for the image of the state government, which has been quietly withdrawing existing benefits since it emerged strong politically after the nine by-polls.
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