Seven private hospitals in Uttarakhand have stopped providing treatment under the Golden Card scheme due to pending payments amounting to ₹130 crore. The halted services have affected the cashless treatment facility for government employees and pensioners enrolled under the Ayushman Bharat–State Health Scheme. The issue will now be discussed and decided in the upcoming state cabinet meeting.
The scheme offers cashless treatment through monthly contributions by employees and pensioners based on their pay grade. However, the expenditure on treatments has significantly exceeded the collected contributions, resulting in financial pressure. As a result, hospitals like Himalayan Hospital Jollygrant, Kailash, Kanishk, Medanta, Narayana Hospital, Dharamshila, and Graphic Era Hospital have suspended treatment under the Golden Card scheme.
Over four lakh employees, pensioners, and their dependents have been issued Golden Cards under the scheme, which entitles them to cashless healthcare. Employees contribute between ₹250 to ₹1,000 per month depending on their grade, but this is proving insufficient to cover the medical expenses.
Health Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat stated that since the scheme currently operates solely on contributions and lacks a dedicated government budget, a proposal to decide its future course will be placed before the cabinet soon.
