Chandigarh, Sep 2 The Haryana government said on Wednesday that health services under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) continued normally in the state.

It added that despite the Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) call to suspend services under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries in the state did not face any major difficulty in availing treatment.

The state government said the State Health Agency continuously monitored the situation.

Regular coordination was maintained with district-level officials, District Implementation Managers and empanelled hospitals.

All empanelled hospitals were directed to continue treatment and health services as usual, while giving priority to eligible patients under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

Hospitals were also instructed to ensure that no eligible beneficiary faced any unnecessary difficulty in availing treatment under the scheme.

According to the State Health Agency, no complaint has been received regarding any eligible patient being denied treatment or any disruption in health services under the Ayushman Bharat scheme since the night of August 31 when it was stopped.

The responses received from hospitals, along with the number of claims submitted during this period, also make it clear that beneficiaries continued to receive health services under the scheme.

The State Health Agency has termed reports published in some newspapers regarding outstanding dues of Rs 12,000 crore to hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat scheme as factually incorrect.

It said that such information creates unnecessary confusion among beneficiaries and the public.

The actual status of payments and claims under the scheme is examined as per the prescribed procedure.

The authority has appealed to the public not to rely on unverified reports or incomplete information and to trust only accurate and official information.

The State Health Agency has also made it clear that if any beneficiary complains that an empanelled hospital refused to provide treatment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme on August 31 or September 1, the matter will be investigated as per the prescribed procedure.

It will review complaints and information received from hospitals.

If the investigation establishes that any hospital refused treatment to an eligible beneficiary under the scheme or deliberately obstructed treatment, appropriate action will be taken against the hospital concerned in accordance with the rules.

The State Health Agency has assured all eligible families covered under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana that they can continue to avail treatment at empanelled hospitals across the state as per the prescribed procedure.

Beneficiaries have been urged not to be influenced by rumours, unverified information or misleading reports.