Telangana hospitals face financial crisis; TANHA seeks pending AHT dues

Telangana Network Hospitals Association (TANHA) members on Monday met Minister for Health C. Damodar Raja Narasimha and submitted to him a representation addressed to the Chief Minister, urging swift clearance of pending dues from the Aarogyasri Health Care Trust.

The letter outlined the dire financial predicament faced by hospitals due to the extended delays in payments, hindering their ability to cover staff salaries and vendor expenses over the past five to six months.

Launched in 2007, the Aarogyasri scheme, a flagship initiative of the Congress era in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, aimed at providing private healthcare access to the underprivileged. However, fixed package rates from 2007 have become unsustainable as the scheme’s reach expanded to cover 80-90% of the population, resulting in the hospitals grappling with occupancy rates of 70-80% by Aarogyasri patients, the members said in the letter.

“Despite previous efficient payment systems, decade-long delays in clearing dues have precipitated a crisis,” said TANHA members. They emphasised the urgency of addressing pending dues, revising package rates to reflect current costs, and streamlining payment processes. Additionally, they urged swift rectification of cases facing unjustified cancellations or rejections to ensure hospitals receive agreed-upon payments.

Highlighting the necessity for modernising outdated guidelines to align with technological advancements, TANHA members underscored the criticality of revitalising the Aarogyasri scheme. The Hindu