While government hospitals make up a bulk of hospitals empanelled under Ayushman Bharat, the health insurance scheme is largely being utilised by people to seek care in private-sector hospitals and at higher costs.

The private sector accounts for over half of all the treatments approved and nearly two-thirds of the treatment cost received by beneficiaries under the scheme, according to the recently released annual report of the National Health Authority that runs the scheme.

Over nine crore instances of treatment — costing Rs 1.29 lakh crore — have been accessed under the Centre’s flagship health insurance scheme in the seven years since its inception.

Of the total 31,005 hospitals empanelled under the scheme, only 45% were private sector-run. Yet, 52% of the 9.19 crore hospitalisations

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