The PMJAY scheme, designed to provide Rs. 5 (Five) lakh annual coverage per family, has failed to deliver timely payments, leaving hospitals struggling to sustain services while making poor patients helpless.
TFM Report
Chronic kidney disease patients in Manipur are staring at a healthcare catastrophe as private hospitals affiliated with the Association of Healthcare Providers-India (AHPI), Manipur Chapter, prepare to halt free dialysis services under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) from August 16. The drastic decision comes after prolonged delays in reimbursement of claims by government authorities, pushing hospitals into severe financial distress.
Patients Left in the Lurch
The warning was amplified at a press conference held at the Manipur Press Club on Thursday (August 7) by relatives of patients. Athokpam Manglembi, wife of a dialysis patient undergoing treatment at Shija Hospital revealed that private hospitals have begun notifying patients of the imminent suspension of free dialysis services unless pending dues under PMJAY are cleared.
“From August 16, dialysis will no longer be free for PMJAY cardholders. This is a death sentence for patients who rely on regular sessions to survive,” Manglembi said, her voice trembling with urgency. She appealed to the Governor of Manipur and state health authorities to intervene immediately, stressing that delays could cost lives. There are many others facing the same situation.
Hospitals at Breaking Point
The AHPI Manipur Chapter, in an official notice dated August 5, confirmed the suspension of PMJAY benefits across private hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centres from August 16, citing “immense financial and operational stress” due to unpaid claims. While dialysis services are specifically highlighted as a critical casualty, the suspension extends to all treatments covered under the scheme.
AHPI Manipur, stated, “We have supported the public health system despite repeated setbacks, but the non-payment of dues has left us with no choice.” Patients will now be charged standard rates until reimbursements are cleared, with promises of refunds once payments are settled.
A State-Wide Health Emergency
With major healthcare providers enforcing the suspension, thousands of beneficiaries—many from economically vulnerable backgrounds—face an impossible choice: pay for dialysis or risk their lives. The PMJAY scheme, designed to provide Rs. 5 (Five) lakh annual coverage per family, has failed to deliver timely payments, leaving hospitals struggling to sustain services.
Manglembi’s plea echoes the desperation of countless families: “The government must act now. How can they abandon patients who depend on dialysis to live?”
Appeal for Immediate Action
The AHPI has urged the National Health Authority (NHA) and state officials to expedite pending payments, warning that the suspension could escalate into a full-blown healthcare crisis. Health activists fear Manipur’s overburdened public hospitals lack the capacity to absorb the influx of displaced patients.
As the deadline nears, patients and caregivers are left praying for a last-minute reprieve. For now, the clock ticks louder than ever—for every dialysis patient, every unpaid claim, and a healthcare system on the verge of collapse.
It may be mentioned that the PMJAY, India’s flagship health insurance scheme, has been plagued by payment delays nationwide, but Manipur’s crisis is among the most severe. With 10 state representatives from the Northeast under AHPI’s umbrella, the repercussions could ripple across the region if unresolved.
With apparently no official response from the state government, free dialysis services are likely to be suspended as scheduled. State-wide protests are expected by patient groups as they have argued that “No patient should pay the price for bureaucratic delays.”