In response to recent reports of the de-empanelment of 25 hospitals in Nagaland under the AB PM-JAY scheme between 2018 and 1st February 2025 due to irregularities, the Nagaland Health Protection Society (NHPS), Department of Health and Family Welfare, has issued a clarification “in the interest of public transparency and to prevent any misinterpretation of the facts.”

The NHPS has stated that to date, a total of 26 hospitals in the state have been de-empanelled under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), comprising 22 government hospitals and 4 private hospitals.

It said that the 22 government hospitals, including Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs), were initially empanelled in 2018/2019 to serve as community awareness and outreach centres for beneficiary identification and card generation, as all government hospitals being deemed empanelled under PM-JAY. However, with increased awareness and low to nil inpatient hospitalisation rates in these public hospitals, these hospitals were de-empanelled in FY2023/2024, the NHPS said.

It also clarified that the 4 private hospitals voluntarily withdrew from the scheme and were accordingly de-empanelled. However, all four have since been re-empanelled under PM-JAY and Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme following the launch of CMHIS in 2022, the NHPS informed.