*Release Rs. 3,200cr Aarogyasri dues immediately and stop health crisis: Dr. Seediri Appalaraju*

Srikakulam, April 7:YSR Congress Party Doctors’ Cell President and former Minister Dr. Seediri Appalaraju on Tuesday demanded that the State government immediately release pending Aarogyasri dues and initiate discussions with representatives of the Andhra Pradesh Speciality Hospitals Association (ASHA) to resolve the ongoing crisis. Addressing the media at the YSRCP office in Srikakulam, he said that for the past week, even emergency services under Aarogyasri have come to a halt, putting the lives of poor patients at serious risk, yet the government has shown no urgency to resolve the issue. He described the current phase as a “dark chapter” in the history of Aarogyasri, pointing out that services have been disrupted twice in just 22 months under the coalition government. Despite rules mandating payments within 45 days, bills have reportedly remained unpaid for over 450 days, pushing pending dues to nearly Rs. 3,200 crore.
He accused the government of ignoring the crisis while diverting attention towards Amaravati, stating that even as patients suffer without treatment, the Chief Minister continues political rhetoric instead of addressing urgent healthcare needs. He further alleged that hospitals demanding payments are being intimidated under the guise of scrutiny and forced into settlements, while the Health Minister has remained indifferent. He said hospitals are seeking a structured payment mechanism and revision of treatment charges, but the government is instead moving to shift Aarogyasri from a trust-based model to an insurance model, which he termed a deliberate attempt to evade responsibility.
Highlighting the achievements of the previous YSRCP government, he noted that Rs. 13,700 crore was spent on Aarogyasri over five years, benefiting 1.42 crore families, with procedures expanded from 2,000 to 3,257. Questioning the viability of the proposed insurance model, he said that with an estimated premium of Rs. 2,500 per family, the annual burden would rise to Rs. 3,550 crore for existing beneficiaries and Rs. 4,050 crore if extended to 1.62 crore people—significantly higher than earlier spending. He asked whether insurance companies would guarantee the same level of care and accountability, and what recourse patients would have if claims are rejected. He alleged that the shift indicates the government’s withdrawal from its responsibility and raises concerns of favouring select private entities through inflated contracts.
Dr. Appalaraju also criticised the Amaravati capital model, stating that the government is misleading people with unrealistic projections involving massive borrowings, while failing to address immediate governance challenges. He said the alternative MAVIGEN (Machilipatnam–Vijayawada–Guntur) corridor proposed by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is a more practical and cost-effective growth engine for the State. Additionally, he pointed out that despite being part of the NDA, the State government has failed to effectively pursue the Vamsadhara water dispute, including filing counter affidavits in the Supreme Court, and accused TDP leaders of falsely claiming credit without tangible contributions.
He reiterated that unless the government immediately clears dues, restores services, and engages with stakeholders, the healthcare crisis will deepen, severely affecting the poor and vulnerable sections of society.