Aarogyasri Services Halted as Talks Between Government and Hospitals Fail

• Aarogyasri services halted due to unpaid dues
• Government hospital talks fail over payments
• Patients face issues as services stop

Healthcare services under the Aarogyasri scheme came to a sudden halt across Andhra Pradesh after negotiations between the state government and private hospitals failed to reach an agreement.

The Andhra Pradesh Specialty Hospitals Association decided to suspend services from Wednesday, citing non payment of long pending dues by the government. As a result, treatment under the scheme stopped in network private hospitals, leaving many patients without access to necessary medical care.

According to hospital representatives, the government owes nearly three thousand crore in pending payments. They stated that despite earlier assurances that dues would be cleared, payments have not been made and have continued to accumulate over the past several months.

A meeting was held between government officials and hospital representatives at the NTR Health Services office under the leadership of Health Secretary Saurabh Gaur. During the discussions, the government reportedly offered to release a portion of the dues in phases.

Officials are said to have proposed an initial payment of one thousand crore, followed by another similar amount within three months. However, the association rejected the proposal, stating that similar promises were made earlier but were not fulfilled.

Hospital representatives demanded written assurance from the government and insisted that services would remain suspended until at least the first installment is credited. They also sought a clear timeline for settling the remaining dues.

The association expressed concern over the government announcing new health initiatives while failing to clear existing payments under the current scheme. They questioned how new policies could be introduced without addressing ongoing financial obligations.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to pause its proposed universal health policy for three months following objections raised during the discussions.

With services suspended, patients across the state are facing difficulties in accessing treatment, highlighting the urgent need for a resolution to restore healthcare services under the Aarogyasri scheme.