By Sampat G. Samritan
Copyright deccanchronicle
Vijayawada: Managements of private hospitals have appealed to the state government to clear dues worth over ₹2,000 crore and provide a clear road map on when the entire dues will be settled, in order to resume the suspended out-patient department (OP) healthcare services under the NTR Vaidya Seva scheme in Andhra Pradesh.Though the NTR Vaidya Seva authorities have invited the private hospitals for talks on the issue of dues, the hospital managements have insisted that the arrears be cleared first before attending the discussions. The private hospitals pointed out that when the free healthcare scheme was introduced in 2010, it covered only 800 procedures and 20 per cent of the total population falling under the below poverty line. At present, 93.5 per cent of the population is being covered under the scheme, with the number of procedures expanded to 3,200. Moreover, 1.65 crore families hold NTR Vaidya Seva cards to avail the benefits, and nearly 80 per cent of hospital beds are occupied by patients under the scheme. They also noted that the last revision of packages for various medical procedures was done in 2018, with no revision since. The hospitals complained that the financial packages fixed under the scheme for surgical and medical procedures are no longer viable, while the mounting dues are causing severe financial strain. They said they are struggling to pay wages to staff and meet daily operational expenses. Further, they expressed concern over the practice of reducing package amounts based on IVRS feedback from patients on healthcare services, food supply, and other issues. AP Speciality Hospital Association president Dr K. Vijay Kumar said, “We are appealing for clearance of dues and a clear road map for settling the remaining amount of ₹2,000 crore from the government. We are also seeking involvement in the proposed universal health scheme in the state, particularly in revising financial packages for various procedures to make them viable for hospitals.” There are nearly 600 private hospitals in the state, each with dues ranging from ₹1 crore to several crores for services provided under NTR Vaidya Seva. The hospitals allege that the state is failing to promote healthcare, resulting in no foreign direct investment, no development of health tourism, and discouraging major corporate hospitals from entering Andhra Pradesh, as healthcare has become unviable under the scheme.
