The Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure (AHPI) has announced that it will be suspending cashless treatment for Bajaj Allianz policyholders starting from September 1, 2024. This decision has been made due to unrevised tariffs, which has led to a dispute between the two parties.
The AHPI, which is a part of the government’s Ayushman Bharat scheme, has been providing cashless treatment to policyholders of various insurance companies, including Bajaj Allianz. However, the tariffs for these treatments have not been revised, leading to a financial burden on the insurance companies.
Bajaj Allianz has been requesting a revision of the tariffs for some time now, but the AHPI has not agreed to it. As a result, the insurance company has decided to withdraw from the cashless treatment scheme, effective September 1, 2024.
This move is likely to affect thousands of policyholders who have been availing cashless treatment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. They will now have to pay for their treatments out of pocket and then claim reimbursement from their insurance company.
The AHPI has stated that it will continue to provide cashless treatment to policyholders of other insurance companies that have agreed to the existing tariffs. However, the suspension of cashless treatment for Bajaj Allianz policyholders is likely to cause inconvenience to many people who have been relying on this scheme for their healthcare needs.
The dispute between AHPI and Bajaj Allianz over tariffs is not a new issue. The insurance company has been arguing that the existing tariffs are too low and do not cover the actual cost of treatment. The AHPI, on the other hand, has been maintaining that the tariffs are reasonable and that the insurance companies should adhere to them.
The suspension of cashless treatment for Bajaj Allianz policyholders is a significant development and is likely to have far-reaching consequences for the healthcare sector. It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and whether the two parties will be able to reach a compromise on the tariffs.
In the meantime, policyholders of Bajaj Allianz are advised to check with their insurance company and the AHPI to understand the implications of this decision and to plan their healthcare expenses accordingly. The suspension of cashless treatment is a significant setback for the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which aims to provide affordable healthcare to all citizens.