Private hospitals in Jalna rue pending dues under Maharashtra health scheme

The pending dues of 22 hospitals offering medical services in Maharashtra's Jalna district under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) have touched nearly Rs 10 crore, an official said on Wednesday.

MJPJAY is a flagship cashless health insurance scheme of the Maharashtra government and covers a comprehensive range of 996 diseases.

According to Avinash Markad, the Jalna coordinator of MJPJAY, the pending dues of 22 private hospitals from the district empanelled under the scheme had touched nearly Rs 10 crore since June of which Rs 1.5 crore has already been released, he said.

Private hospitals in Jalna district, however, have expressed concerns over the pending dues. If we don't get the dues, we might be forced to shut down services under MJPJAY, said the director of a hospital in Jalna city requesting not to be identified.

Markad said they are working towards clearing the remaining dues.

Meanwhile, the district health department has issued 2.1 golden cards under the Ayushman Bharat Golden Cards, said the official. This scheme offers cashless healthcare benefits of up to Rs 5 lakh per eligible family per year.

The district health department had set an ambitious target of issuing 8.23 lakh Golden Cards. While 2.1 lakh cards have been distributed so far, efforts continue to bridge the gap and enrol more deserving families into this programme, said district civil surgeon Pratap Ghodke.