PMJAY scheme: Centre looking to bring hospitals run by CPSEs, paramilitary forces under flagship, anti-fraud law on anvil
FirstpostThe Cabinet Secretariat note reviewed by Firstpost said Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY is a globally unique scheme in terms of its coverage and quality of medicare New Delhi: A year after the launch of the world’s largest fully funded health insurance scheme, the government is looking to bring more than 300 hospitals run by Central Public Sector Enterprises, some of the best operated by Navaratna companies, into the fold to fulfill its objective of universal health coverage. The Cabinet Secretariat note reviewed by Firstpost said Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY is a globally unique scheme in terms of its coverage and quality of medicare. The assessment document said non-uniformity in quality standards, non-coverage of PSUs, multi super-specialty private hospitals, inconsistencies in package nomenclature, duplication of packages, unviable rates for packages, large difference in rates of similar procedures across different specialties and overlap with national health programmes, were some of PMJAY’s key challenges. The government recently struck down 111 hospitals after charges of corruption and fraud, however, the assessment report said lack of integration in three key modules, hospital empanelment system, beneficiary identification system and transaction management system, as well as limited capacity at state level for effective implementation of anti-fraud framework remain major challenges to detect fraudulent activities.