Minister wants action against hospitals for denial of cashless treatment

Udupi: State Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has directed the Udupi district authority to take decisive action against any private hospital found denying cashless treatment to road accident victims in emergencies.

Speaking at a progress review meeting of the district health department, Minister Rao emphasised that under the Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK) health scheme, individuals eligible for cashless treatment must receive immediate medical attention without the need for referrals from public health institutions (PHIs).

He stressed the paramount importance of saving lives in such critical moments, asserting that private hospitals refusing treatment without a referral code risk having their licences revoked under the provisions of the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (KPME) Act.

The minister was informed of instances where Kasturba Hospital in Manipal had previously declined to provide cashless treatment to accident victims, causing undue hardship. Despite being empanelled for cashless treatment under the AB-ArK health scheme, the hospital expressed reluctance to continue participation, citing dissatisfaction with the government’s reimbursement rates.

Notably, private hospitals in the district must meet the eligibility criteria for empanelment.

Minister Rao expressed his displeasure at this situation, pointing out that all empanelled hospitals in the state receive the same reimbursement rates and questioned the rationale behind a single hospital demanding higher rates.

In response to this discrepancy, Minister Rao urged D. Randeep, Commissioner of the State Health and Family Welfare Department, to engage in official discussions with the concerned private hospital to resolve the matter. Udupi Deputy Commissioner Dr Vidya Kumari and MLAs Yashpal Suvarna, Gururaj Gantihole, and Kiran Kodgi were present at the meeting. Minister Rao also highlighted the necessity for establishing an endosulfan care centre in the Udupi district and indicated plans to address this need shortly.