"Dead" Beneficiaries, Double Claim : Madhya Pradesh Health Scheme Shocker

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged serious irregularities in the Centre's ambitious Ayushman Bharat scheme in Madhya Pradesh.

The pan-India audit found that more than Rs 1.1 crore was paid to about 403 patients who had been declared "dead" in the database.

8,000 patients were shown to be hospitalised at multiple hospitals across the state during the same period, it said.

The audit names 24 state hospitals, including a government hospital, which showed much higher occupancy than the actual bed-strength.

25 hospitals submitted claims for 81 patients twice for various surgical treatments, the audit said. "The Madhya Pradesh health authority paid full amount for both claims as against the prescribed rate of 50% payment on the second claim," it said.

The flagship scheme - implemented by the National Health Authority (NHA) - provides a health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year to beneficiaries.

Till date, more than 23 crore beneficiaries have been verified and issued Ayushman cards for availing free treatment under the scheme.

Ayushman Bharat scheme identifies the beneficiary through Aadhaar identification, wherein the person is verified through mandatory Aadhaar based e-KYC.

The scheme has achieved a milestone of 5 crore hospital admissions, amounting to Rs 61,501 crore for free treatment of people.