AMC set to hike rates for private hospitals

AHMEDABAD: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has assured private hospital owners that they will move a proposal to double the rates that they have offered.
While 21 hospitals have been acquired by the AMC so far through notification under the Epidemic Diseases Act to treat Covid-19 patients, the civic authority is yet to sign MoU with the hospitals.
The AMC had earlier decided to pay the hospitals based on an existing GR. But as no hospital came forward for the MoU, the civic authorities held a meeting with the stakeholders and got to know that the existing rate is too less.
A senior AMC official said that they have moved a proposal to increase the existing rate by 100% for both empty and occupied beds.
“We are hopeful of getting an amicable solution soon,” said the official, adding that the charges were compared with SVP Hospital that was spending up to Rs 3,500 per patient.
Moreover, the civic authority will also pay Rs 15 lakh to the hospital for operative expenses. The state government has already announced that the employees of these hospitals will be treated at par with government employees if they contact Covid-19 infection or die on duty.
Meanwhile, Ahmedabad Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (AHNA) wrote a letter to the municipal commissioner to allow the hospitals to charge patients at normal rate.
The members argued that no hospital will charge extra in this difficult time and they are charging fees to ensure quality treatment.
The association thus advocated identifying hospitals with ICUs and other facilities to treat critical patients instead of acquiring specialty hospitals.
The letter also asked the civic body to first consider full utilization of government, semi-government and trust hospitals.