Rajya Sabha member Vikramjit Singh Sawhney didn’t hold back as he raised alarming concerns on Tuesday about the settlement of Punjab’s claims under the Ayushman Bharat Health Scheme.
He sharply pointed out glaring disparities between the data provided by the Health and Family Welfare Ministry in Parliament versus their responses under the Right to Information Act (RTI). According to Sawhney, the ministry’s RTI response in June 2023 revealed shocking statistics: 53% and 74% of claims remained pending for settlement in 2022 and 2023, respectively, under Ayushman Bharat.
However, the ministry’s numbers presented during parliamentary sessions were drastically lower—merely 2.2% and 5.22% of unsettled claims for these same financial years.
“We’re stuck in a maze of conflicting data! The Ministry of Health must straighten this out and furnish accurate information regarding claims filed and settled under Ayushman Bharat in Punjab,” Sawhney demanded.
Expressing skepticism, he highlighted a jaw-dropping disparity in the total claims made by beneficiaries. While the RTI disclosed 14.85 lakh claims from the previous year, the Parliament response indicated a staggering 1.63 crore claims.
Sawhney emphasized the urgency for clarity and accuracy in the data, insisting that this discrepancy is not just an error but a serious flaw that demands immediate rectification for the transparent implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme.