Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 23 October 2025
Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, Hon’ble Member of Parliament representing the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, has urged the Lt. Governor to review and amend the existing guidelines for patient referral and reimbursement under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
In a representation addressed to the Lt. Governor, Mr. Ray highlighted the hardships being faced by island patients in availing medical referrals and reimbursements after the discontinuation of the ANISHI (Andaman and Nicobar Islands Scheme for Health Insurance). Under ANISHI, beneficiaries were entitled to cashless treatment up to ₹5 lakh per individual, which included travel and diagnostic expenses. However, following its merger with the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the new guidelines issued by the State Health Agency (SHA) on June 20, 2023, have reportedly created difficulties for patients in meeting travel and treatment-related costs.
The MP pointed out that the current reimbursement structure largely limits travel coverage to ship fares, even though ship services to mainland destinations such as Chennai, Kolkata, and Visakhapatnam are infrequent and irregular. This often forces patients and their attendants to travel by air at their own expense, he said, adding that such restrictions undermine the goal of timely and affordable healthcare access for the island population.
To address these concerns, Mr. Ray has proposed several key amendments to the existing guidelines:
- Inclusion of Both-Way Air Travel: Air travel (onward and return) should be recognized as the standard reimbursable mode of transport for referred patients to mainland empanelled hospitals.
- Flexibility in Ticket Purchase: Patients should be permitted to buy air tickets from any authorized travel agent, rather than being limited to government-approved agencies like Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd., Ashok Travels & Tours, or IRCTC, which have limited presence across the islands.
- Credit Facility for Air Tickets: Agencies such as ANIIDCO should be authorized to issue air tickets on credit, as practiced under ANISHI, to ease the financial burden on patients.
- Revision of Income Ceiling: The income ceiling of ₹3 lakh per annum—set in 2015 under ANISHI—should be revised upward considering inflation and the rising cost of living, to extend benefits to more genuinely needy non-SECC beneficiaries.
Mr. Ray emphasized that implementing these changes would ensure equitable access to healthcare for economically weaker sections and facilitate timely medical treatment for residents of the Union Territory.
Copies of his representation have also been forwarded to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah, and Hon’ble Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Mr. J.P. Nadda, seeking their intervention and suitable directions to the UT Administration.
