Published 16:11 IST, June 22nd 2020
BJP urges Maharashtra govt to stop private hospitals from overcharging COVID-19 patients
On Monday, June 22, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya urged the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government to stop the private hospitals from fleecing COVID-19 patients.
On Monday, June 22, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya urged the 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 novel coronavirus patients were being charged an exorbitant amount of money by private hospitals despite the state government's circular dated May 21. He claimed that the average bills are in the range of Rs.5-10 lakh.
While acknowledging that the government had fixed bed charges, he pointed out that private hospitals were charging a huge sum in the name of PPE kit charges, COVID management charges, doctor supervision charges, nursing charges, hand gloves, ICU management, biomedical waste management, 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 Kohinoor Hospital. Thereafter, the former Lok Sabha MP requested the state government to come with an appropriate order to curb this problem.
Maharashtra government regulates beds in private hospitals
There are 1,32,075 COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra out of which 65,744 patients have recovered while 6170 fatalities were reported. The Maharashtra government on May 21 had passed an order regulating 80% of the beds in private hospitals to ensure that patients are billed as per the 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 the same time, private hospitals were allowed to charge their own rates in the remaining 20% beds.
COVID-19 crisis in India
Currently, there are 4,25,282 confirmed novel coronavirus cases in India out of which 2,37,196 patients have recovered while 13,699 fatalities have been reported. As per the WHO Situation Report 153 dated June 21, 2020, India's cases per lakh population are 30.04 as against the global average of 114.67. 1,43,267 samples were tested were in the last 24 hours. So far, 69,50,493 samples have been tested for the novel coronavirus in 723 government labs and 262 private labs. With 9,440 patients recovering from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, India's recovery rate surged to 55.77%. At present, there are 1,74,387 active cases in the country.
Updated 16:11 IST, June 22nd 2020