Srinagar, Sep 03: Patients in Jammu & Kashmir are calling for urgent government intervention after private hospitals stopped providing services under the Ayushman Bharat scheme from September 1 due to unpaid dues of around Rs 200 crore. The halt affects essential medical treatments, leaving many without care.
The issue began when IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance Company, the current insurer, declined to renew its contract past March 2025, citing financial losses. Although the J&K State Health Agency (SHA) has filed a contempt petition and urged the company to continue, the services have not resumed.
The government has responded by directing public hospitals to extend their services, including night shifts, and has provided a toll-free number (104) for affected patients to arrange free treatment at public hospitals. SHA CEO Sanjiv M Gadkar assured that private hospitals would be paid their dues once the legal matter is resolved.
The government emphasizes its commitment to ensuring uninterrupted treatment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, urging patients to call 104 for assistance and assuring that no patient will be left without care.
