IMA Rejects Narendra Modi’s Ayushman Bharat Draft; Alleges Big Hospitals, Insurance Companies May Benefit
The scheme also makes Aadhaar mandatory for availing benefits. This is in direct violation of Supreme Court order.
Narendra Modi government’s much-publicised National Health Protection Mission was rejected by Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Sunday on various grounds.
The IMA stated that the package rates (under Ayushman Bharat scheme) are unacceptable as they are exposing the patients to danger in hospitals. According to the association, the low rates will force the hospital authorities to compromise on the quality of services being provided and will only breed corruption, PTI reported.
The Aadhar angle
According to Ayushman Bharat Scheme rules, the government has made Aadhaar mandatory for the entire architecture of this new National Health Protection Scheme, The Wire reported. These rules are clearly is in violation of the Supreme Court order.
The fixed rates
The government had fixed rates of different remedies in a 205-page draft model tender document. Knee and hip replacements were fixed at Rs 9,000 each, stenting at Rs 40,000, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) at Rs 1.10 lakh, caesarian delivery at Rs 9,000, vertebral angioplasty with a single stent at Rs 50,000 and hysterectomy for cancer at 50,000.
Dr Ravi Wankhedkar, national president of IMA said, “These package rates are unacceptable as they are exposing the patients to danger in hospitals, as such low rates will have to be compromised with the quality of services being provided and will only breed corruption.”
“This will have a deleterious effect on patient safety. According to certain reports, IMA has fully backed this scheme, which is not true, but our objections about package rates, fund allocation and insurance model stand unchanged,” he added.
Dr Wankhedkar asserted that IMA had also raised the need for scientific costing before fixing the rates.
Big hospitals to benefit?
The IMA said it fears that Ayushman Bharat Scheme in its current form will likely benefit big hospitals and insurance intermediaries at the cost of patients and small hospitals.
Setback to #AyushmanBharat:
At emergency meeting,
Indian Medical Association rejects #Modi’s dream scheme in its current form.
Raises serious concerns over its design and risks of misuse by middlemen. pic.twitter.com/t5dCqka4qH— Rajesh Mahapatra | ରାଜେଶ ମହାପାତ୍ର (@rajeshmahapatra) June 24, 2018
So far, only BJP ruled-states have signed up for the plan. Odisha and Bengal have refused to join Ayushman Bharat and states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Delhi, and Punjab continue to play hardball.
The pushback from IMA comes as two states, Odisha and Bengal, have refused to join #AyushmanBharat and states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Delhi and Punjab continue to play hardball.
So far, only #BJP rules states have signed up for the plan.— Rajesh Mahapatra | ରାଜେଶ ମହାପାତ୍ର (@rajeshmahapatra) June 24, 2018