Amid bed crunch, govt. scraps referral requirement at four Bengaluru hospitals under AB-Ark

The Karnataka Cabinet has decided to do away with the mandatory referral requirement under the Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka (AB-Ark) scheme for certain treatments at four private medical college hospitals in the Greater Bengaluru Area (GBA) limits in Bengaluru, citing a shortage of government hospital beds within the civic body’s limits. The relaxation will be implemented on a pilot basis for one year, and treatments will be provided at government-fixed package rates.

The four institutions covered under the decision are St. John’s Medical College, M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Medical College Hospital.