VIJAYAWADA: The State government is contemplating clearing the Rs 2,500 crore dues of the YSR Aarogyasri Scheme (Now, NTR Vaidya Seva) left pending to network hospitals by the previous regime, under the One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme.
In an exclusive interview with TNIE to mark the launch of AP Dialogues, Minister for Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education Y Satya Kumar Yadav said the Health and the Finance departments are in consultation with the managements of network hospitals and banks to clear the pending dues under the OTS, exuding confidence that the issue will be resolved soon.
Though the NDA government is making prompt payment to network hospitals for treating patients under the NTR Vaidya Seva Scheme now, dues to the tune of Rs 2,500 crore under the YSR Aarogyasri left by the previous regime, are still pending.
The network hospitals had threatened to stall the NTR Vaidya Seva services if the YSR Aarogyasri dues were not cleared at the earliest. Hence, the government has come up with the OTS option to clear the dues, he said.
“In fact, the NDA government has cleared the bills to the maximum extent under the NTR Vaidya Seva. As we inherited Rs 2,500 crore Aarogyasri dues, we are now focusing on clearing them,” he said.
The coalition government has spent Rs 7,500 crore on the implementation of NTR Vaidya Seva in less than two years, compared to Rs 11,500 crore expended by the previous regime on YSR Aarogyasri in five years. Quality medical treatment worth Rs 350 crore is being extended to patients under the Vaidya Seva per month on an average,” he said.