Parliamentary panel backs Assam's AB-PMJAY model as "highly pragmatic, replicable": CM Sarma
Guwahati, August 14
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare has described the state's model of allowing public hospitals to retain and reinvest AB-PMJAY reimbursements in infrastructure, medical equipment and patient welfare as a "highly pragmatic and replicable model."
Sarma said the committee has also recommended that the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issue standard operating procedures (SOPs) to enable public hospitals across the country to adopt the approach.
In an X post, the Assam Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the committee's chairman and its members for recognising the state's efforts.
"I am pleased to learn that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health & Family Welfare has described Assam's model of allowing public hospitals to retain and reinvest AB-PMJAY reimbursements in infrastructure, medical equipment and patient welfare as a "highly pragmatic and replicable model", he said.
"The Committee has also recommended that @MoHFW_INDIA issue SOPs to enable public hospitals across the country to adopt this approach. My sincere gratitude to Hon'ble Chairman Shri @proframgopalya1 Ji and the esteemed members of the Committee for recognising Assam's efforts", he added.
"It is a matter of great pride that an initiative from Assam has been recognised as a model worthy of wider adoption," Sarma said.
The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is a flagship health assurance scheme of the Government of India aimed at providing financial protection to economically vulnerable families for hospitalisation and medical treatment.
Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries are provided health cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation at empanelled government and private hospitals.
The scheme provides cashless and paperless access to healthcare services for covered treatments. It was launched in 2018 as part of the Ayushman Bharat initiative.
The scheme is particularly aimed at reducing the financial burden of major medical expenses on poor and vulnerable households.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is exactly what we need across India. Public hospitals are always struggling with outdated machines and broken beds. If the central ministry issues SOPs based on Assam's approach, every state can benefit. Let's hope other states take this seriously and don't just pay lip service to healthcare reforms.
Great to see Assam getting recognition, but let's be honest—implementation is key. We've seen many "pragmatic models" before that look good on paper but falter on the ground. Hope the state actually follows through and we see visible improvements in our hospitals, especially in rural areas where healthcare access is still a challenge.
As someone who has seen the struggles of availing treatment under AB-PMJAY, this is a welcome development. The scheme is excellent, but the infrastructure gaps often delay treatment. Retaining reimbursements for hospital upgrades will directly benefit patients like us. Very proud of Assam for leading the way! 🇮🇳
Interesting move, but there's a flip side. If hospitals retain reimbursements, will there be proper auditing? We've seen cases where funds meant for public welfare get misused. I hope the SOPs include strict transparency measures and periodic audits to ensure the money actually reaches infrastructure and patient care, not just for show.
This is a strong step towards strengthening public healthcare, which is the backbone of a developing nation like ours. The earlier model of sending funds back to the central pool made little sense when our local hospitals were struggling. Delighted that the parliamentary committee has recognized this. More power to Assam! 💪
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.