Health Ministry termed media reports claiming that treatments have been booked for AB PM-JAY beneficiaries who have been declared dead on the system as misleading. There have been media reports claiming that Comptroller and Auditor General has flagged that treatments have been booked for beneficiaries declared dead. The Ministry termed these reports as completely misleading and ill-informed.
 
Health Ministry clarified that under AB PM-JAY, hospitals are allowed to initiate request for pre-authorization for three days in advance, prior to the date of admission in the hospital. This feature is enabled to avoid denial of treatment in case of limited connectivity, and emergency situations.
 
The Ministry added that in some cases, the patients got admitted and died during the treatment before their pre-authorization was raised. In such cases, the date of death is same as the admission date or earlier. Health Ministry pointed out that more than 50 percent of cases highlighted in the report have been booked by public hospitals, who have no incentive in committing fraud, as the money is reimbursed in the hospital accounts. It further stated that in case of death during treatment, hospital has to mandatorily submit mortality report.