pm-s-golden-card-healthcare-scheme-dispute-causes-concerns-in-j-k

The Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana(AB-PMJAY) and AB PM-JAY-SEHAT programs have come under scrutiny following a contractual dispute with the IFFCO-TOKIO Insurance Firm.

 

Since their inception, these programs have provided over 8.19 lakh free and cashless treatments to residents of J&K, with a total expenditure of over Rs 1400 crore until 2023.

Introduced by the Central government, these initiatives aimed to extend healthcare support to underprivileged patients, particularly those unable to afford expensive treatments.

 

However, the IFFCO-TOKIO Insurance Firm opted out of its contract with the State's Health Agency (SHA) in November 2023, a year before the scheduled end of its three-year term contract, which was set to run until March 14, 2025.

 

This decision followed alleged financial losses, leaving the SHA in a tough spot.

 

The SHA appealed to the High Court to suspend the termination and urged IFFCO-TOKIO to uphold its commitment to patient welfare.

 

Despite these efforts, the court dismissed the petition on February 2, exacerbating the challenges faced by the SHA and beneficiaries across the union territory.

 

Amidst the rift, the UT administration took decisive action, removing four common procedures from the list of covered services, stating that these treatments would now be conducted exclusively in government hospitals.

 

While the CEO of the State Health Agency, Jammu & Kashmir, Sanjiv M Gadkar, reassured the public that the dispute would not disrupt services, hospital owners expressed concerns over the uncertainty surrounding the situation.

 

They emphasised the plight of dialysis patients, who have emerged as the primary victims of the ongoing crisis.

More as the story develops.