Srinagar, Mar 27: The State Health Agency (SHA), Jammu and Kashmir has de-empaneled Shifa Hospital Srinagar from the list of empaneled hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY and AB PM-JAY SEHAT schemes, rendering it no longer authorized to provide cashless treatment.
On March 26, the SHA in a public notice informed that the private hospital is no longer empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY and AB PM-JAY SEHAT scheme.
It had mentioned that the “contract with the hospital has expired” and it is no longer authorized to provide cashless treatment under the scheme.
“Beneficiaries seeking treatment under AB PM-JAY and AB PM-JAY SEHAT schemes are advised to visit other empanelled government and private hospitals for cashless treatment,” the notice said.
It stated that if any empanelled hospital denies treatment under the scheme, beneficiaries are urged to immediately report the matter by calling the toll-free helpline 104.
Meanwhile, the J&K Private Hospitals and Dialysis Centres Association (JKPHDCA) has strongly condemned the de-empanelment of Shifa Hospital from the list of empaneled hospitals and called it selective targeting for raising voice for genuine demands.
“This decision is particularly egregious given that all hospitals in the region are currently on strike because of the same reason, yet Shifa Hospital is being singled out for punitive action,” the association said in a statement.
The private hospitals have called the move as selective targeting and suppressing the voice aimed at intimidating and coercing Shifa Hospital into accepting unfair terms.
“The fact that all hospitals are on strike underscores the systemic issues, i.e., 10 percent reduction in the present package and restriction of 4 surgical procedures to public hospitals, which are plaguing the Ayushman Bharat Scheme,” it said.
The association said the de-empanelment will have devastating consequences for patients who rely on insurance coverage, leaving them vulnerable and without access to essential healthcare services.
