BENGALURU: Since most private hospitals are considering every patient as a suspected Covid-19 case and with doctors and nurses taking precautionary measures such as using personal protective equipment (PPE), the cost of hospitalisation has increased by a staggering 25-30%. The cost of one PPE alone is between Rs 1,800 and Rs 2,000 and hospitals say cost escalations are inevitable.
“If a patient is treated in ICU or an isolation ward, the cost would go up by about 30%,” said Dr Naresh Shetty, president, MS Ramaiah Hospital who is also the president, Association of Healthcare Providers of India (AHPI), Karnataka chapter. “However, for OPD patients, the cost remains the same as there is no increase in doctor’s consultation fee. What is adding to the bill is the cost of PPE, masks, gloves, face shield covers, etc. Sometimes things like masks and shields have to be used by receptionists too as a preventive measure.”
Shetty said the measures will be necessary until “every patient is tested for Covid-19 and safety is ensured”.
A 69-year-old man, who was suspected for Covid-19, had to be in isolation for three days in a private hospital in Bengaluru in March until he tested negative.
“The isolation ward charge per day was Rs 10,500 which is not fully covered by insurance. In the total bill there was a mention of 5 PPEs used, each priced at Rs 2,000. The PPEs were also not covered by the insurance policy,” said the patient’s son. The family had to pay Rs 1.4 lakh for six days of hospitalization. The cost would have been minimum 30% less in pre-Covid times, the family says.
Dr R Ravindra, president, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association, all surgeries in private hospitals henceforth will cost minimum Rs 15,000 more as the entire surgical team has to wear PPE. “Good quality PPE costs upwards of Rs 1,800. Besides, the expenditure of hospitals has also increased since every health worker now has to be insured,” said Ravindra.
A 38-year old Covid-19 patient who was admitted for 14 days in a private nursing home had to cough up Rs 2.9 lakh in March. “I was stunned when I saw the bill. I was the only patient in the isolation ward on an empty floor. It was PPE and isolation charges that added to the cost,” the recovered patient told TOI.
Some nursing homes and clinics have increased their consultation fee. A woman from Kumaraswamy Layout, who recently consulted an orthopaedician, said she was asked to pay Rs 600 instead of the regular Rs 400 consultation charge. “The doctor wore a face shield, gloves and a mask,” she said.
“If a patient is treated in ICU or an isolation ward, the cost would go up by about 30%,” said Dr Naresh Shetty, president, MS Ramaiah Hospital who is also the president, Association of Healthcare Providers of India (AHPI), Karnataka chapter. “However, for OPD patients, the cost remains the same as there is no increase in doctor’s consultation fee. What is adding to the bill is the cost of PPE, masks, gloves, face shield covers, etc. Sometimes things like masks and shields have to be used by receptionists too as a preventive measure.”
Shetty said the measures will be necessary until “every patient is tested for Covid-19 and safety is ensured”.
A 69-year-old man, who was suspected for Covid-19, had to be in isolation for three days in a private hospital in Bengaluru in March until he tested negative.
“The isolation ward charge per day was Rs 10,500 which is not fully covered by insurance. In the total bill there was a mention of 5 PPEs used, each priced at Rs 2,000. The PPEs were also not covered by the insurance policy,” said the patient’s son. The family had to pay Rs 1.4 lakh for six days of hospitalization. The cost would have been minimum 30% less in pre-Covid times, the family says.
Dr R Ravindra, president, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association, all surgeries in private hospitals henceforth will cost minimum Rs 15,000 more as the entire surgical team has to wear PPE. “Good quality PPE costs upwards of Rs 1,800. Besides, the expenditure of hospitals has also increased since every health worker now has to be insured,” said Ravindra.
A 38-year old Covid-19 patient who was admitted for 14 days in a private nursing home had to cough up Rs 2.9 lakh in March. “I was stunned when I saw the bill. I was the only patient in the isolation ward on an empty floor. It was PPE and isolation charges that added to the cost,” the recovered patient told TOI.
Some nursing homes and clinics have increased their consultation fee. A woman from Kumaraswamy Layout, who recently consulted an orthopaedician, said she was asked to pay Rs 600 instead of the regular Rs 400 consultation charge. “The doctor wore a face shield, gloves and a mask,” she said.
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