BJP urges Maharashtra govt to stop private hospitals from overcharging COVID-19 patients

On Monday, June 22, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya urged Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government to stop private hospitals from fleecing COVID-19 patients. In a letter addressed to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta, Somaiya contended that vel coronavirus patients were being charged an exorbitant amount of money by private hospitals despite state government's circular dated May 21. He claimed that aver bills are in range of Rs.5-10 lakh. 

While ackwledging that government had fixed bed charges, he pointed out that private hospitals were charging a huge sum in name of PPE kit charges, COVID manment charges, doctor supervision charges, nursing charges, hand gloves, ICU manment, biomedical waste manment, monitoring charges, and 10% surcharge. He stated that he had received complaints in this regard from hospitals such as Zenith Hospital, Manisha Universal, Apex Hospital, DY Patil Hospital, and Kohior Hospital. reafter, former Lok Sabha MP requested state government to come with an appropriate order to curb this problem.

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Maharashtra government regulates beds in private hospitals

re are 1,32,075 COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra out of which 65,744 patients have recovered while 6170 fatalities were reported. Maharashtra government on May 21 had passed an order regulating 80% of beds in private hospitals to ensure that patients are billed as per price cap. It stipulated that a maximum of Rs.4,000 can be charged for routine ward plus isolation, Rs.7,500 for ICU without ventilator plus isolation, and Rs.9,000 for ICU with ventilator plus isolation daily. At same time, private hospitals were allowed to charge ir own rates in remaining 20% beds. 

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COVID-19 crisis in India

Currently, re are 4,25,282 confirmed vel coronavirus cases in India out of which 2,37,196 patients have recovered while 13,699 fatalities have been reported. As per  WHO Situation Report 153 dated June 21, 2020, India's cases per lakh population are 30.04 as against global aver of 114.67. 1,43,267 samples were tested were in last 24 hours. So far,  69,50,493 samples have been tested for vel coronavirus in 723 government labs and 262 private labs. With 9,440 patients recovering from COVID-19 in last 24 hours, India's recovery rate surged to 55.77%. At present, re are 1,74,387 active cases in country. 

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