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Cashless treatment under RGHS to halt from July 15 as private hospitals protest over unpaid dues

Cashless treatment under RGHS to halt from July 15 as private hospitals protest over unpaid dues

JAIPUR: Private hospitals across Rajasthan are set to suspend cashless treatment under the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) from Tuesday, affecting lakhs of government employees, pensioners, and their families.
The decision comes after months of non-payment from the state government, with dues totalling approximately Rs 980 crore.
Hospital administrators claim they can no longer sustain operations without receiving pending reimbursements, despite repeated appeals and warnings to the government.
On Sunday, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) convened a meeting in which representatives from private, corporate, and charitable hospitals discussed the financial crisis and challenges they face under RGHS.
The Rajasthan Alliance of Hospital Associations submitted a memorandum to the state government proposing urgent reforms to save the scheme.
These included immediate payment of dues, a 45-day fixed payment cycle, simpler documentation, reactivation of the TMS portal, formal recognition of an advisory committee, and long-term structural improvements.
Dr. Vijay Kapoor, president of the Private Hospitals Association, said nearly 1,000 private hospitals have not been paid under the scheme for over seven months. He stated that while the hospitals never intended to enter into conflict with the government, the lack of dialogue and delay in payments have left them with no choice but to halt cashless services starting Tuesday.
The RGHS was originally launched in June 2018 during the Vasundhara Raje government and was revived in 2021 by the Ashok Gehlot-led administration.
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