MP Private Hospitals Plan Ayushman Bharat Boycott From October 8

Private hospitals in Madhya Pradesh will stop taking Ayushman Bharat cases from October 8. They cite unpaid bills and issues with how the scheme runs.

Payment dispute details

A Bhopal-based report says private healthcare providers are unhappy about delays in settling their claims under the scheme. The issue is about money owed to these hospitals for treating eligible Ayushman Bharat patients.

The central government has said that claims under AB-PMJAY are cleared by State Health Agencies. Timely payment is a key performance measure. National Health Authority manages the larger rollout of the scheme.

Scheme coverage and impact

The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) gives up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for hospital care. It covers both secondary and tertiary treatments for eligible families. The national health package includes 1,961 procedures across 27 medical fields.

In March 2026, the central Health Ministry noted that 36,229 hospitals were registered under AB-PMJAY nationally. This included 16,746 private hospitals. If private hospitals refuse to take part, it could hit patients relying on cashless treatment. This is especially true where private hospitals handle many scheme-related services.

The report did not confirm how many hospitals would join the proposed boycott. Nor did it specify the total amount of pending payments.