Haryana Private Hospitals Shut Under Ayushman Bharat Scheme: Impact On Patients

PANIPAT – It has been nearly two weeks since private hospitals in Haryana shut their doors to patients under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, and the standoff shows no signs of easing. Doctors say the state owes them a staggering ₹490 crore, leaving hospitals unable to sustain services.

What began on August 7 as a statewide strike has now spiraled into a full-blown healthcare crisis. In Panipat, members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) staged a fiery protest today, burning an effigy to mark their anger. Their message was blunt: “Neither hospitals nor the public benefit from Ayushman Bharat as long as payments remain stuck.”

Inside hospitals, frustration simmers. “We can’t keep treating patients endlessly without reimbursement. It’s unsustainable,” explained Dr. Kuldeep Mangla from Panchkula. He said withdrawing from the scheme was a “last resort,” stressing that it is the government’s responsibility to fix the payment bottleneck.

For patients, the consequences are devastating. With 650 hospitals pulling out of the scheme, nearly 1.5 crore beneficiaries have lost access to free care. Many now crowd into government facilities, which are already stretched thin, leading to long queues and delayed treatments.

“My father has a heart condition. The private hospital refused to admit him under Ayushman Bharat,” said Sunita Devi, waiting outside a government facility in Panipat. “We don’t know how we will manage the expenses.”

Health Minister Aarti Rao has accused hospitals of acting in haste, while Chief Minister Nayab Saini has set up a committee to verify hospital claims. But the IMA says committees won’t solve the crisis — only timely, full payments will.

Talks between the state government and the IMA are expected tomorrow, but doctors warn that unless dues are cleared, protests will continue and might intensify.

For now, Haryana’s healthcare system stands on shaky ground — and patients remain the unwilling victims of a battle between hospitals and the government.