Mizoram Congress seeks transparency in healthcare scheme, pushes for more private hospitals

The Congress on October 19 called for greater transparency in the implementation of the Mizoram Universal Health Care Scheme (MUHCS) and urged the state government to expedite the inclusion of private hospitals that are yet to join the initiative.

Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) spokesperson Dr Lallianchhunga said the party had refrained from criticising the scheme since its launch under the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government, keeping in mind the interests of patients who benefit from it.

Speaking at a press conference in Aizawl, Lallianchhunga demanded a reduction in the MUHCS registration fee to make the scheme more affordable for economically weaker sections.

“Healthcare is being funded with public money and every eligible person should be able to access the scheme,” he said.

Reacting to the recent controversy over the government's agreement with Synod Hospital, Lallianchhunga said the Congress had no objection to the treatment rates agreed upon with the hospital but questioned the transparency of the negotiation process.

“MUHCS funds do not belong to the health minister; they are public funds,” he said, alleging that the scheme receives substantial contributions through deductions from government employees' salaries and pensioners' pensions, apart from registration fees paid by other beneficiaries.

He also questioned why the government had negotiated rates with private hospitals outside Mizoram but had not similarly explored agreements with more private healthcare facilities within the state.

Congress seeks wider hospital participation

Lallianchhunga said only nine private hospitals in Mizoram remained outside the MUHCS network and claimed that most had expressed willingness to join the scheme according to their respective grades.

The issue has come into focus following a disagreement over reimbursement rates between the government and private hospitals.

The Non-Government Hospital Association of Mizoram (NGHAM) said last week that its member hospitals yet to join MUHCS would be willing to participate if the government offered rates similar to those agreed upon with Synod Hospital.

In a notification issued the following day, the state government said non-empanelled hospitals with facilities comparable to Synod Hospital could join the scheme at the rates agreed upon with the church-run institution.

However, NGHAM maintained that most private hospitals awaiting empanelment had already submitted the required documents and were waiting for the government's response.

The association also expressed a preference for all its member hospitals to join the scheme together, cautioning that participation by only some hospitals could adversely affect those remaining outside the network.

MUHCS provides health cover of up to Rs 5 lakh

The ZPM government, led by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, launched MUHCS 1.0 in March 2025 to provide cashless treatment at government facilities and empanelled private and church-run hospitals within and outside Mizoram. The second phase was launched in March 2026.

Under the scheme, general beneficiaries can receive health cover of up to Rs 5 lakh by paying an annual fee or premium based on their chosen ward category.

Government employees, including contractual and muster-roll staff, contribute between Rs 200 and Rs 1,500 a month, depending on their pay scales, in return for unlimited coverage.

Pensioners and their spouses can access coverage of up to Rs 24 lakh per financial year by surrendering their fixed medical allowance of Rs 1,000 a month as their subscription.

More than 3.2 lakh beneficiary families have enrolled under the second phase of the scheme, officials said.