2,000 Hospitals Removed: Is Your Ayushman Card Safe?

India's national health scheme AB PM-JAY has removed over 2,000 hospitals for fraud. If you rely on your Ayushman Bharat card for free treatment, you must verify your nearest empanelled hospital before any planned procedure — or risk being turned away.

Here's what happened: The National Health Authority de-empanelled over 2,000 hospitals across India under AB PM-JAY's ongoing anti-fraud crackdown.. A dedicated National Anti-Fraud Unit imposed penalties totalling ₹114.06 crore on hospitals found gaming the free treatment scheme.. Common frauds included billing for procedures never performed, inflating treatment costs, and admitting ineligible patients to claim government reimbursements..

What you should do: Visit pmjay.gov.in or call 14555 to verify whether your nearest hospital is still empanelled before booking any procedure.. Carry your Ayushman card but always confirm cashless approval IN WRITING from the hospital before admission — verbal assurances are not enough.. If a hospital denies your valid PM-JAY claim or charges you out-of-pocket, file a complaint immediately at the AB PM-JAY grievance portal or State Health Agency helpline..

Pro tip: Even if a hospital is empanelled, your specific treatment package must be listed under PM-JAY's approved procedure list — ask the hospital to show you the package code before admission to avoid surprise billing.