Srinagar,September14: In a major relief for thousands of patients in Jammu and Kashmir, private hospitals and dialysis centres empanelled under the Sehat health insurance scheme have agreed to resume services starting today. This decision follows assurances from the J&K administration regarding the release of pending payments amounting to Rs 160 crore.
The suspension of services, which began on September 2 due to non-payment, affected thousands of patients relying on the Sehat scheme for free medical care. The turning point came after a meeting chaired by Secretary of Health, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, where he reassured the hospitals that all dues would be cleared promptly, in line with the directives of the J&K High Court.
The High Court had previously directed the administration to utilize available funds to reimburse medical claims, and Dr. Shah emphasized that these payments would be disbursed in the shortest possible time.
The issue initially stemmed from the insurance provider, IFFCO Tokio, discontinuing the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya (ABPMJAY) scheme in March 2024, which halted payments to empanelled healthcare providers.
Faizan Mir, President of the J&K Hospitals and Dialysis Centres Association (Kashmir Region), revealed that the association had been in talks with health officials since April 2024 but had received no resolution until now. After assurances from the administration, Mir confirmed the decision to resume services for the benefit of the public.
The association also expressed gratitude to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, and other key officials who worked on resolving the payment issue.
