Under the Ayushman scheme, a major scam has surfaced in Punjab. In this hospital fraud, it was discovered that 26% of the bills were fake.
Till now, the Punjab government made a crucial choice. The government has delayed paying nearly Rs 250 crore in debts owed to private hospitals. In 4,812 (or 26%) of Punjab's claims, there are irregularities of some kind. These claims have been proven to be false. The government has begun taking action against health organizations that make false claims. The state government can also conduct a vigilance inquiry in this matter.
But the question the question that arises here is will the Punjab government be able to take strict action on this matter and conclude it. Even earlier in Jalandhar, a scam under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme came to the notice of the Vigilance Bureau around 18 months back and they had lodged an FIR against the top 9 hospitals of the city. The hospital lobby is really strong. It has been 18 months, but no action has been taken against the culprits.
The program provides eligible beneficiaries with a cashless health insurance policy worth Rs. 5 lakh. Last year in March 2021, Punjab Vigilance busted a multi-crore scam under the scheme, in which private hospitals got claims by submitting fake bills for the treatment of beneficiary patients holding smart health cards.
A patient was taken to a hospital in Kapurthala for a gall bladder operation, according to the Vigilance Bureau. The patient was informed by the hospital management that a smart card could not be used for treatment. To receive treatment, the patient was required to deposit Rs 25,000 in cash or provide six-seven Ayushman cards. The patient's family members were forced to provide three cards, which were then used improperly.
682 private hospitals and 245 government hospitals in Punjab are approved under this scheme. This plan has been the subject of a dispute for a few days. As the money was not provided under the scheme, the PGI had stated that it will stop treating patients from Punjab. Later the service was started with the assurance of the government.