Chhattisgarh adjudged 'best performing state' under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana

Raipur, Oct 16 (PTI) Chhattisgarh has been adjudged the best performing state under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), a government official said on Thursday.

Chhattisgarh was feted for its outstanding performance, transparency, and achieving 'zero pendency' in claim processing, the official added.

The award was presented by National Health Authority (NHA) Chief Executive Officer Sunil Kumar Barnwal to Dr Priyanka Shukla, state Health Services Commissioner and CEO of the State Nodal Agency (SNA), and Dharmendra Gahwai, Project Director (Operations) on Wednesday in the NHA Conclave in Bhopal, an official statement said.

This recognition highlights the state's continuous efforts to strengthen efficiency, accountability, and trust in public health services under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, the release added.

State health minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal congratulated the health department for this achievement, emphasizing that PM-JAY is a top administrative priority and is reviewed regularly at both district and state levels.

Reiterating the state government's commitment to ensuring quality, free, and dignified healthcare for all eligible families, Jaiswal said Chhattisgarh demonstrated its efficiency and dedication in a short period, earning national recognition for its health reforms.

"Under the guidance of state Health Secretary Amit Kataria, quarterly review meetings were held with Chief Medical and Health Officers (CMHOs), making PM-JAY a key agenda item. Regular consultations with private hospitals and Indian Medical Association (IMA) are being held to resolve operational issues and share updates on new PM-JAY processes," the release said.

Over recent months, the State Nodal Agency implemented several reforms under Ayushman Bharat scheme.

These include identification and field audits of suspicious claims, significant reduction in Turn-Around Time (TAT) for claim processing, intensive orientation and sensitization training for stakeholders, strengthening of State Anti-Fraud Unit (SAFU) and establishment of regular coordination mechanism with Empanelled Health Care Providers (EHCPs), the release said.

Following a January 2025 review by the NHA, which noted a high number of suspicious claims in Chhattisgarh, the state swiftly developed and executed a corrective action plan to ensure accountability and transparency, it said.

"Between January and February 2025, the health department conducted surprise inspections at 52 hospitals, resulting in penal action against 45 hospitals for non-compliance- the highest ever in the state. More than 32,000 field audits were carried out, significantly reducing fraudulent claims and improving transparency in the settlement process," it said.

The number of suspicious claims has dropped sharply from over 2,000 per week earlier to fewer than 500 now in the state, while the average claim approval time has reduced to just 7-10 days, the release pointed out.

"According to NHA data, 97 per cent of hospitals empanelled under PM-JAY in Chhattisgarh are currently active, the highest rate in the country. In comparison, Madhya Pradesh has 62 per cent and the national average stands at 52 per cent. This reflects the strong trust of hospitals in the scheme," it said.

Notably, for the first time, the Ayushman Bharat scheme was included as a key agenda item during the recent Collectors' Conference chaired by the CM, who directed officials to regularly review its progress in all districts, it said. PTI TKP BNM