Pending Himcare dues in HP reach ₹300 crore; healthcare hit at IGMC

People seeking treatment through Himcare and Ayushman health schemes at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) and Hospital, Shimla, are facing inconvenience due to the pending payments under these schemes.

Firms not supplying medicines
We kept supplying medicines for as long as we could but eventually we had to stop it about a month back. The companies are not supplying medicines without the payment now. Anuj Jain, Secretary, Shimla Chemists and Druggists Association.

The Himcare and Ayushman card-holders are not getting all medicines in the IGMC’s Jan Aushadhi store, where they get it free of cost. Besides, some departments have stopped the card-holders’ free of cost surgeries, in which expensive equipment/device like stents and pacemakers are used.

According to sources, the pending payments under the two schemes at the IGMC have crossed Rs 65 crore. Across the state, this amount has risen to around Rs 300 crore.

Most drug distributors have stopped the medicine supply to the hospital’s Jan Aushadhi store, where the card-holders get free of cost medicines, due to pending payments. As a result, patients have to buy the medicines not available in the Jan Aushadhi store from the open market at full cost.

“Our payments have not been released for almost a year now. We kept supplying medicines for as long as we could but eventually we had to stop it about a month back. The companies are not supplying medicines without the payment now,” said Anuj Jain, secretary, Shimla Chemists and Druggists Association.

“We have been assured by the hospital administration that payments will be released by April 15,” he added. IGMC Medical Superintendent Dr Rahul Rao could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. Meanwhile, the BJP has criticised the government for not releasing the payment pending under the schemes. Rajeev Saizal, Health Minister in the previous BJP government, has alleged that the pending payments show that the government wants to stop this scheme. “The suppliers have stopped the delivery of medicine and equipment. As a result, several departments have stopped the free-of-cost surgeries,” alleged Saizal.

While acknowledging the pendency in payments, an official from the state health authority said they were writing to the government. Tribune India