The Mizoram government on Saturday appealed to all private hospitals across the state to implement state health care scheme.
The plea came days after empanelment of some private hospitals was suspended for failing to implement the healthcare scheme.
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Speaking to reporters in Aizawl on Saturday, health secretary H Lalengmawia said the government would implement Clinical Establishment Act from January next year as per which all private hospitals are bound to have permanent registration under the government.
He said any private hospital seeking registration from the government will have to follow the notified rate of the government under the Act.
The act prohibits any doctors working under the government from working in a private hospital, he added.
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Citing about the present dispute between the state government and private hospitals over implementation of state health care scheme, Lalengmawia said the government has held meeting with management of private hospitals several times and during these meeting they agreed to charge patients as per notified rate of the government.
He also said all private hospitals at the time of registration had agreed to follow the norms set up by the state government.
“However, all non-governmental hospitals have recently informed the government of their inability to use the notified rate and refused to implement Mizoram State Health Care Scheme,” Lalengmawia said.
The Non Government Hospital Association of Mizoram (NGHAM) had last week asked the state government to allow them to use the existing rate for charging patients.
The association also said that the government give medical reimbursement to beneficiaries as per its norms while allowing private hospitals to use their own rate.
Lalengmawia said that the appeal was unacceptable as patient have to pay additional charge beyond their medical reimbursement if private hospitals use their own rate.
He said the main objective of the government is to provide full medical assistance to the people where they do not need to pay even a penny for their medical expense.
He said the government is trying its best to increase accommodation and staff in government hospitals as the number of patients in government hospitals was likely to increase following the withdrawal of empanelment of private hospitals.
“Additional beds will be provided in all government hospitals and all urban health centres and public health centres will be opened to accommodate patients,” he said.
He further said that all government doctors, nurses and medical staff on leave, barring those who took leave on medical ground, would be called back to join duty.
On December 4, the government had suspended empanelment of over 15 private and church sponsored hospitals for failing to implement state health care scheme.
The health care scheme, which provides health insurance of Rs 2 lakh cover to beneficiaries in a year, was launched on October 1.
Meanwhile, NGHAM alleged that the government was forcing to use an imposed notified rate.
The association also said that many private hospitals are facing acute problem due to liabilities amounting to Rs 3 crore following the implementation of various healthcare schemes.