The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has rejected the current package rates of the Ayushman Bharat, National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) after a meeting led by IMA chairman Dr A Marthanda Pillai with the Action Committee on Sunday in the national Capital.

This follows the IMA teams meeting with Indu Bhushan, CEO, Ayushman Bharat and Deputy CEO Dr Dinesh Arora at Nirman Bhawan two days earlier.While IMA appreciated that the government agrees to enroll 10 beds and on-wards, which are registered with registering authority and put in place a sturdy claim settlement system, an inflexible attitude on unrealistic package rates is unacceptable.

The IMA objected the package rates, fund allocation and insurance model of implementation which stood unchanged. Meanwhile, certain media reports have quoted the government that IMA has fully backed the scheme. IMA also raised the need for scientific costing before fixing the rates.At such low rates, the government is exposing patients to danger in hospitals by compromising quality and breeding corruption. This will have a devastating effect on patients safety.

The IMA demanded an exclusive trust model since the middlemen unnecessarily gain all the 15 per cent profit to the tune of crores of rupees. A collapse in the present health delivery system is expected unless all stakeholders are taken into account. This would also lead to elimination of small and medium hospitals.

Provided the package rates are revised to a reasonable level, IMA is willing to partner with the governmen scheme. Yet IMA objections remain to be addressed.

IMAS DEMAND

The IMA demanded an exclusive trust model since the middlemen unnecessarily gain all the 15 per cent profit to the tune of crores of rupees.