Private hospitals resume PMJAY services after Govt assurance
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 12 2025: Private hospitals in the state have decided to immediately resume cashless treatment for Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) cardholders following an assurance from the state government to clear long-pending dues.

The Association of Healthcare Providers of India (AHPI), Manipur Chapter, in a statement on Tuesday, announced the decision after a meeting with health commissioner Sumant Singh on Monday.

AHPI had on August 5 declared its inability to continue the cashless service under PMJAY due to prolonged non-payment of bills and the financial strain on private hospitals.

According to AHPI, the health commissioner acknowledged concerns raised by both the association and patients, particularly those undergoing dialysis, and assured that pending claims would be addressed on priority.

Sumant Singh emphasised that the government is deeply concerned about the delay in reimbursements and is working to clear them at the earliest to ensure uninterrupted healthcare delivery.

In light of this commitment, AHPI has withdrawn its suspension notice and will continue to provide cashless healthcare services to PMJAY beneficiaries.

The association reaffirmed its pledge to work closely with the government to uphold patient welfare and maintain healthcare standards in the state.

The development follows weeks of uncertainty after AHPI announced suspension of PMJAY services from August 16 onwards, citing mounting financial and operational stress caused by non-payment of claims.

The decision was taken after a July 30 meeting where members unanimously expressed concerns over viability.

AHPI, representing 43 private healthcare establishments in the state, had also submitted a memorandum to the Governor, pointing out that while pending dues under the Chief Ministergi Hakshelgi Tengbang (CMHT) scheme were cleared in April, PMJAY reimbursements remained unpaid for more than three months.

The association noted that private hospitals in Manipur conduct about 8,000 free haemodialysis sessions monthly under government schemes, far more than general hospitals, underscoring their critical role in healthcare delivery.

It had warned that without timely payments, hospitals would struggle to pay vendors, procure essential medicines and consumables, and meet staff salaries.

With the government's assurance, AHPI expressed hope for a swift resolution to the payment backlog to avoid future disruptions in essential health services.

In the days leading up to the government's assurance, dialysis patients and political representatives had intensified appeals for the continuation of PMJAY benefits in the state.

On August 8, patients undergoing dialysis at various private hospitals drew attention of the government stating that the suspension would put them in a "life-and-death situation", as they would face costs of up to Rs 50,000 a month without the scheme.

They said most of the patients could not afford even a single week of treatment at standard rates.

On August 11, RPI-A national secretary Maheshwar Thounaojam submitted a memorandum to Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, citing Manipur's high poverty rate and the crucial role PMJAY plays in healthcare delivery.

Athawale subsequently wrote to union MoS for Health & Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav, forwarding Maheshwar's request to reimburse pending dues.

He stressed that unless the dues were cleared, most PMJAY beneficiaries in Manipur would lose access to cashless treatment at private hospitals from August 16 .

Comment