In every two seconds, an e-card is being issued to a beneficiary under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious health scheme Ayushman Bharat, or Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB- PMJAY), which is completing one year on September 23.
More than 45 lakh so far who have availed medical facilities worth Rs 7,500 crore, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Tuesday here at a press conference.
He said, over 10 crore Ayushman Bharat PMJAY eCards have been issued in around 350 days of the launch of the scheme. "I am pleased to share that more than 45 lakh people have availed cashless treatment worth over Rs 7,500 crore for serious illnesses since the launch of AB-PMJAY," he added.
Several events are being planned across the country to commemorate the first anniversary of its launch and September 23 will be celebrated as 'Ayushman Bharat Diwas' to generate awareness about the scheme.
The Minister said 18,000 hospitals have been empanelled so far and the effort was to get 25,000 on board. The fortnight of September 15-30 will be marked as the 'Ayushman Bharat Pakhwara' when several activities will be carried out in the states to generate awareness around the scheme and celebrate this gift of health to the nation.
Cyber security and privacy mechanisms have been set up at the National Health Authority, the apex body implementing the scheme to protect the beneficiary data. "Nearly 1,200 cases of fraud have been confirmed and action has been taken against 338 hospitals," the Minister said,
Asserting that the government has zero tolerance towards corruption,he said-"Not only would such hospitals found involved in any kind of fraudulent activity and practices would be de-empanelled, their names would be put up on the official website of Ayushman Bharat and made public.
"The idea is to name and shame them," the Health Minister said. Giving out figures, Vardhan said 376 hospitals currently are under investigation while the NHA has taken action in terms of issuing showcause notice, suspending, levying penalty and de-empanelling.
He said 97 hospitals have been de-empanelled from the scheme while FIRs have been lodged against six hospitals. A total amount of Rs 1.5 crore in penalty has been levied and nearly 1,200 cases of fraud have been confirmed.
Indu Bhushan, CEO of the National Health Authority said, "We are taking stern action against such fraudsters and have filed criminal cases and FIRs in some cases. In fact, we have suggested such hospitals should not only be de-empanelled from the PMJAY scheme but also from other scheme including that of CGHS and ECHA.
Harsh Vardhan also announced setting up of 40,000 Health and Wellness Centers by March 2020. "With a target of 1,50,000 centers till 31 December, 2022, more than 21,000 Health and Wellness Centers have already been created till now; will reach 40,000 by March 31st," he said.
The AB- PMJAY is billed as the world's largest health assurance scheme and aims to provide free health insurance of ?5 lakh per family to nearly 40% of the population comprising poor and vulnerable families.
The premium payment expenditure is shared by the central and state governments. The scheme covers most secondary and many tertiary hospitalizations, which poor people typically cannot afford. Four States Odisha, West Bengal, Delhi and Telangana are yet to join the scheme.
