Overview
- Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, speaking in the Assembly on Friday, said the current Himcare setup will give way to an insurance model that issues beneficiary cards.
- An internal health audit flagged suspect billing of about ₹100–₹110 crore and cited cases such as ovarian surgeries billed to male patients and the use of expired lenses.
- Sukhu said the ₹1,100 crore figure refers to total payouts under Himcare and clarified that the alleged irregularities under scrutiny are a fraction of that amount.
- Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur rejected the corruption charge, sought a judicial probe by a sitting High Court judge, and disputed the government’s expenditure claims.
- Most private hospital tie-ups have been halted except limited services like dialysis, which could push more patients to state hospitals until the new card system begins.