Thiruvananthapuram: The Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (KASP) is facing severe crisis after the state government failed to pay the arrear amounts to private hospitals, which partnered in the scheme. The KASP is a lifeline for poor patients who cannot afford the high hospital expenses. The KASP aimed at providing health cover of Rs.5 lakh per poor family.
Forty two lakhs families were benefitting from this scheme. However, the government’s mismanagement has thrown the scheme into jeopardy. The private hospital managements have now said that they would withdraw from the scheme after the state government failed to pay a backlog amount of Rs.300 crores to private hospitals.
Out of the Rs.300 crores, Rs.140 crores is earmarked for payment. However, the government has not given any definite answer on when the rest of the amount will be paid.
Apart from this, the state government has an outstanding amount of Rs.200 crores to be paid to government hospitals under the scheme.
As protest against the state government for not paying the due amount, the Kerala Private Hospital Association has decided to back off from the KASP from October 1 onwards.
Most of the hospitals are not paid arrears for six months to one year.
The Perinthalmanna MES Medical College has already put up a board, which says that the service under Karunya Scheme will not be provided at the hospital from 26th onwards. The government has not paid arrears up to Rs.14 crores to the hospital.
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