HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE L. NARASIMHA REDDY Writ Petition No.16237 of 2010 ORDER: The petitioner is a hospital, functioning at Jagityala Town of Karimnagar District. The Union of India, the 3rd respondent herein, introduced a scheme, what is known as “Universal Health Insurance Scheme” for the benefit of persons below the poverty line. According to the scheme, the State Government i.e. the 4th respondent, shall identify the persons below the poverty line in the concerned areas and on payment of a premium of Rs.450/-, health services by recognized hospital to the extent of Rs.30,000/-, per year, per family, shall be extended. Out of the premium, a sum of Rs.300/- shall be paid as subsidy by M/s.M.D. India Health Care Services Private Limited, the 2nd respondent, and Rs.150/- has to be paid by the individual concerned. The 1st respondent appointed the 2nd respondent, as the agency to operate the scheme. The petitioner is one of the recognized hospitals for operation of the scheme. Whenever a patient, covered by the scheme, approaches the petitioner for treatment, the matter would be referred to the 2nd respondent and on certification of the eligibility of the individual by the it, treatment would be extended and the bills would be cleared by the 1st respondent. The petitioner states that it has treated as many as 620 patients covered by the scheme, on the basis of letters of confirmation issued by the 2nd respondent, but bills were released only in respect of 306 patients. The grievance of the petitioner is that the bills for remaining 314 patients have not been released from 19.11.2009 onwards. It claims the relief in the form of direction to the respondents to pay the bills forthwith. Respondents 1 and 2 filed separate counter-affidavits. According to them, several extraordinary features were noticed in the bills and in the particulars furnished by the petitioner. It is stated that quite large number persons were shown as suffering from similar ailment and the matter is under investigation. Heard Sri V.Ramachander Goud, learned counsel for the petitioner; Sri A.Rama Krishna Reddy, learned counsel for the 1st respondent; Sri Srikanth Kaveti, learned counsel for the 2nd respondent; learned Standing Counsel for the 3rd respondent and learned Government Pleader for Medical and Health, for respondent No.4. It is not in dispute that the petitioner is a recognized hospital for treating the patients covered by the scheme, referred to above. Almost half of the bills submitted by it were accepted and cleared. Respondents 1 and 2 entertained some doubt, as to the genuinity of the claims made by the petitioner, in respect of the pending 314 bills. However, except that a doubt was entertained by them, respondents 1 and 2 have not communicated anything to the petitioner so far. Time of several months has elapsed. The matters of this nature cannot be kept pending for such a long time. If respondents 1 and 2 have any objections for clearing the bills, they have to communicate the same to the petitioner, so that he would furnish necessary clarification. Hence, the writ petition is disposed of directing that, a) the 2nd respondent shall process the bills submitted by the petitioner and clear such of them, as regards which, there are no objections; b) if the 2nd respondent has entertained any doubt as to the genuinity of the bills, it shall communicate the same, together with reasons, to the petitioner within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order; c) it shall be open to the petitioner to offer its remarks or explanation for the objections within four weeks thereafter; and d) final order covering all the pending bills shall be passed by the 2nd respondent within four weeks thereafter. There shall be no order as to costs. ____________________ L.NARASIMHA REDDY, J Dt:21.03.2011 GJ