Bengaluru BPL Patients Get Free Treatment at 4 Private Hospitals: Direct Access Approved

• Karnataka Cabinet approves pilot initiative for BPL patients to receive free treatment at four major private medical college hospitals in Bengaluru.
• Beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat–Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK) scheme can now directly access St. John’s, M.S. Ramaiah, Kempegowda, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Hospitals.
• The new decision removes the previous requirement of a referral letter from a government hospital, allowing direct entry for BPL cardholders.
• The government will reimburse these private hospitals at fixed package rates, ensuring no charges for eligible patients.
• Aims to reduce pressure on overcrowded government hospitals and provide timely, quality treatment, initially on a pilot basis in Greater Bengaluru.