Delhi: Give schedule of charges for treatment, hospitals told

NEW DELHI: All private hospitals and nursing homes with more than 50 beds have been directed by Delhi government to provide their respective schedule of charges for treatment of Covid-19 patients.
Among others, the government has asked hospitals for daily charges for routine ward, ICU without ventilator and ICU with ventilator support.
The government has also asked for the cost of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Covid testing, CT scan, MRI, PET scan and medicines used commonly for managing patients suffering from moderate to severe symptoms of the disease.
“All private hospitals identified for the purpose of treating Covid-19 patients are hereby directed to provide the directorate (directorate general of health services) their respective schedule of charges for treatment of Covid-19 patients in the given format latest by 6 pm on Friday,” the government, a copy of which is with TOI, says. Sources said the directive is followed by multiple complaints of overcharging by patients and their relatives.
In its order, Delhi government has also directed hospitals to display charges shared with them at conspicuous places in the hospital, for example the holding area, reception area, and adjacent to the billing desk or counter.
“Non-compliance would be considered as violation of Clause 15 of the Schedule appended to Rule 14 of Delhi Nursing Home Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2011 and action, as deemed fit, would be initiated against the defaulter nursing home or private hospital,” the order issued by Dr RN Das, medical superintendent-Nursing Home, stated.