Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 23: The government on Monday informed the Lok Sabha that more than 11.69 crore hospital admissions have been authorised under the Ayushman Bharat scheme as of February 28, 2026.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav stated that out of the total admissions, 6.74 crore were recorded in private hospitals, reflecting significant participation from both public and private healthcare providers.

He emphasized that strict guidelines are in place under AB-PMJAY to ensure beneficiaries are not denied treatment. In cases of refusal or irregularities, patients can lodge complaints through the Centralised Grievance Redressal Management System or contact the 24x7 helpline.

The minister noted that grievances are handled through a structured three-tier system operating at district, state, and national levels. Dedicated nodal officers and grievance committees are tasked with reviewing and resolving complaints efficiently.

Highlighting the scheme’s expansion, Jadhav said the number of empanelled hospitals has grown substantially—from 6,917 in 2018-19 to 36,229 as of February 2026. This network includes 19,483 public hospitals and 16,746 private facilities, significantly improving access to healthcare services across the country.

He added that hospital empanelment is an ongoing and voluntary process, managed by states and Union Territories based on local needs and the availability of qualified healthcare institutions, in line with guidelines from the National Health Authority.

On claims processing, the government assured that settlements are being carried out smoothly within prescribed timelines—15 days for treatments within a state and 30 days for inter-state cases under the portability feature of the scheme.