The National Health Authority (NHA) on Friday launched express empanelment process to bring private hospitals under Ayushman Bharat PradhanMantri Jan ArogyaYojana (AB-PMJAY) to ensure that people with cancer and heart ailments receives continued essential treatment.
The move comes after the NHA had made testing and treatment of COVID-19 free for AB-PMJAY beneficiaries.
“With the launch of this new mechanism called Hospital Empanelment Module (HEM) Lite, patients suffering from serious illnesses, such as cancer, cardiac issues and diabetes that require continuous treatment, will be able to continue getting inpatient services without the fear of contracting the infection,” said a release.
The mechanism will also help in empanelling dedicated COVID-19 hospitals as well. Hospitals can empanel themselves for a temporary period of three months through a simpler, user-friendly online system available on the scheme’s website www.pmjay.gov.in , it added.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan tweeted,” The private sector should act as a key partner in the fight against COVID-19 .I urge private hospitals to come forward in huge numbers & be part of this effort. Empanel now to serve the underprivileged citizens!”
AB-PMJAY CEO InduBhushan said that the express empanelment of private hospitals on a temporary basis was launched to ensure that treatment of AB-PMJAY patients doesn’t suffer as many currently empanelled hospitals are converting themselves to dedicated COVID-19-only facilities.
“We have started reaching out to the States, hospital associations and healthcare industry bodies with this new proposal to onboard private hospitals through a simple, quick and seamless system on a temporary basis,” he added.