Karnataka Government Pulls Up Bengaluru Hospital For Overcharging COVID-19 Patient
COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals can be a costly affair, especially for those in critical condition and needs prolonged hospitalisation.
Due to the high number of complaints by patients and their relatives that hospitals are overcharging them for the treatment, several states have capped the amount they can charge for COVID-19 treatment.
Despite this, private hospitals have come up with ways to overcharge patients.
Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr. K Sudhakar has said that he would take stringent action against the Apollo hospital in Bengaluru¡¯s Seshadripuram for breaching the price cap prescribed by the Karnataka government.
"I have come to know that the patients are suffering a lot at the Apollo Hospitals. I have warned them several times," he said in a tweet, which also had the bill from the hospital attached.
The government has fixed a cap of Rs 5,000-Rs 15,000 a day to charge the COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment in private hospitals.
However, according to a copy of the bill tweeted by the minister, the hospital has given an outstanding bill amount to the tune of Rs 4,10,319, with Rs 5000 already deducted as an advance deposit.
¡°The hospital¡¯s management has gone against the government¡¯s order, and charged much more than the prescribed rate. This information has come to my notice today and I will take strict action against the private hospital,¡± the minister said in another tweet.
Apollo Hospitals however said that the billing has been done as per the insurance tariff.
The 64-year-old patient was admitted to the intensive care unit on July 3 and he continued to remain there. The family of the patient was okay with the bill. In fact, the patient's son is in the medical field and he understands the situation well," a hospital representative told PTI.
A statement released by Apollo Hospital said the insurance company's tariff was taken into account and not the government's price cap. "In the said case, the patient has been in the hospital for the last 21 days, which includes 9 days in the ICU, and the billing is as per the tariff agreed with the insurance company. At Apollo Hospitals, we maintain strict transparency and the treatment and cost of care is clearly discussed upfront with the patient and/or family."
