VIJAYAWADA: Doctors and staff from AP network hospitals, under the Andhra Pradesh Specialty Hospitals Association (ASHA), staged a statewide protest on Thursday over Rs 3,000 crore in stalled NTR Vaidya Seva reimbursements.
They said the delays have crippled hospital operations, sparked arbitrary bill cuts, and eroded frontline morale after selfless COVID service.
Around 1,000 doctors participated in the rally, which proceeded as planned despite the government releasing Rs 250 crore on Wednesday towards pending bills, with assurances of releasing another Rs 250 crore soon. In a fiery speech, ASHA President Kurukuri Vijaykumar said the Aarogyasri scheme, launched in 2007, has morphed into a ‘crushing burden.’ Hospitals now shoulder 60% of patient costs upfront, while bill approvals face delays from weeks to years.
He criticised stagnant reimbursement packages, increased by just 10–12% over 22 years, amid rising infrastructure, and quality care costs. He decried intrusive trust officials calling inpatients to solicit complaints about meals, sanitation, and treatment, often catching vulnerable patients off-guard. Sudden rule changes and unplanned demands for technological upgrades treat hospital partners like “fourth-class workers.”
ASHA demanded the swift release of Rs 670 crore in approved dues, a timeline for remaining payments, monthly settlements akin to pensions and collaborative policy input.
Vijaykumar said, “We’re allies, not enemies, in forging a healthy Andhra. Ignore us, and the system crumbles—not by our fault, but yours.”