look news india
Yogi Adityanath government of Uttar Pradesh has taken a very strict and historic step to bring transparency in the ambitious Ayushman Bharat Yojana being run to provide free and best health services to the poor and needy citizens of the state. Taking seriously the frequent complaints of hospitals affiliated to the Ayushman panel extorting money from patients in the name of treatment and making illegal recovery in the name of various types of charges, the state government has now started cracking down on such corrupt hospitals. Under the new and strict guidelines issued by the Health Department and State Health Authority, now if any private or government empaneled hospital is found charging excess cash or illegal fees from the beneficiaries of Ayushman Yojana, then heavy financial penalty will be imposed on it and its recognition can also be cancelled. This strict decision of the government has created a huge stir among those hospitals and medical mafias who were taking advantage of government schemes to rob the pockets of poor patients.
The dark truth of illegal recovery in the name of Ayushman Yojana and free treatment
Under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh is provided annually to crores of eligible families of the country and the state, so that no poor person is deprived of treatment due to lack of money in case of serious illnesses. According to the rules of the scheme, any empaneled hospital does not have to charge a single rupee from the patient or their family members in the form of medicines, tests, operations or room rent during treatment, as the entire payment is made directly to the hospitals by the government. Despite this, there have been frequent complaints for some time now that many private hospitals scare patients by saying that the medicine or procedure is not included in the Ayushman package, and they will have to pay thousands of rupees from their own pocket to continue the treatment. Helpless and helpless attendants were forced to repay the money to these hospitals by taking their savings or loans. When countless cases of such frauds and complaints reached the government, the health department geared up to put a permanent stop to this black business.
New rules of Health Department: Heavy fine, license cancellation and strict legal action
According to the information shared by the State Health Authority and the Health Minister of Uttar Pradesh, now the functioning of Ayushman hospitals will be closely monitored through AI and digital monitoring system. According to the new rules, if the complaint of illegal recovery against any hospital is found true, then it will have to pay a heavy financial penalty on the first offence, which can go up to lakhs of rupees. Further, if any hospital is found repeatedly indulging in such irregularities, its panel registration under the Ayushman Scheme will be canceled forever and legal action will be taken by filing criminal cases against that hospital. Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) at the district level have also been instructed to regularly conduct surprise inspections of hospitals and take feedback from patients to ensure that no beneficiary faces any inconvenience or financial exploitation.
Relief for the general public and control over the arbitrariness of hospitals
The purpose of this drastic step of the Yogi government is not only to stop the misuse of government funds but also to protect the fundamental rights of the general public. Now a new confidence has arisen among the patients coming under the Ayushman scheme that the government stands firmly with them. Health experts and social activists have praised this decision of the government and said that unless such stringent administrative and financial penalties are imposed, it was impossible to curb the profiteering tendencies of private hospitals. The government has also activated a toll-free helpline number and online portal, where any aggrieved patient or his relative can directly lodge a complaint regarding illegal recovery or negligence in treatment. This initiative will not only improve the medical system of the state, but will also ensure that the actual benefits of the scheme actually reach the poor person at the last mile who needs it the most.