Government calls hospitals for empanelment for Rs 5 lakh health insurance scheme

The National Health Agency apex body to implement Central government’s ambitious scheme to provide Rs 5 lakh health insurance coverage to about 40 crore Indians, launched a formal process to empanel public and private hospitals to implement it.

There are concerns in the industry that due to low package rates, not many corporate hospitals are interested in getting empanelled and the government might have to make do with smaller hospitals, which leads to “quality” concerns.

Indu Bhushan, CEO, of the agency under the Union health and family welfare ministry, however, urged all the hospitals and healthcare service providers to maintain the motto of service to mankind and come forward to join Ayushman Bharat, “India’s healthcare revolution, in spirit and deed”.

“I call upon each one of you to partner with the mission through the empanelment process initiated today to enhance the accessibility for the people who need it most,” Bhushan said in a statement.

“I also request all the States/ UTs Governments to help us in garnering the support of hospitals and healthcare providers for this path-breaking mission.” Dinesh Arora, deputy CEO of the project, too invited all private and super-speciality hospitals across India for empanelment as they play critical and indispensable role in this mission.

“We are also making every effort to ensure that the empanelment process is conducted in a transparent, time-bound and non-partisan manner based on specific criteria, eligibility and guidelines,” Arora said.

Following the announcement today, the state health agencies through state empanelment committees will start empaneling private and public health care service providers and facilities in states as per the stipulated guidelines.