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Healthcare Tug-of-War: States and Central Government Clash Over Ayushman Bharat Implementation

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointed to this friction, noting that “political barriers” are limiting access to healthcare programs like Ayushman Bharat for elderly citizens in states such as Delhi and West Bengal.

• By Newsdesk
• New Delhi
• Nov 02, 2024

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India’s federal structure places healthcare within the purview of state governments, making them primarily responsible for delivering medical services to citizens. However, the central government also plays a critical role in shaping policy and providing funding, creating a system of shared responsibility. This arrangement frequently leads to disagreements, heightened further by political rivalries. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointed to this friction, noting that “political barriers” are limiting access to healthcare programs like Ayushman Bharat for elderly citizens in states such as Delhi and West Bengal.

The significance of state-supported healthcare schemes is evident, with approximately 63 million people each year pushed below the poverty line due to out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. Political differences over healthcare provision often do little to address these urgent needs. While Delhi has developed a relatively strong health infrastructure, recent events in West Bengal, such as issues at RG Kar Medical College, suggest significant gaps in the system. For opposition-led states, constructive engagement rather than obstruction could better serve their constituents. Data from states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Jharkhand, Punjab, Telangana, and Himachal Pradesh show that Ayushman Bharat is providing valuable support for families, especially those needing specialized care for severe health conditions.

While states are urged to implement the scheme effectively, Ayushman Bharat itself faces challenges: a limited number of empaneled hospitals, low overall coverage (reaching only 56% of eligible individuals), unequal utilization across states, persistent out-of-pocket costs, ground-level corruption, reluctance among private hospitals to offer the full range of services, and data inconsistencies. Addressing these issues requires collaborative effort. For Ayushman Bharat to reach its full potential, both state and central governments must prioritize the health and well-being of citizens above political considerations.