NEW DELHI: The treatment of Covid-19 in private hospitals and laboratory tests may become cheaper as Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in its meeting on Tuesday would be discussing capping of rates charged by the healthcare facilities.
Recently, the exorbitant treatment charges being levied by some private hospitals had come under the scanner of Delhi government and the Centre. The DDMA meeting will be chaired by LG Anil Baijal and CM Arvind Kejriwal will attend it with his ministers and some senior officials.
A committee comprising Niti Aayog member Dr VK Paul and representatives of AIIMS and Delhi government, formed by Union ministry of home affairs, had been asked to submit rates that would be reasonable for various Covid-related facilities and tests.
Delhi government will notify the rates that private hospitals can charge for providing treatment. The prescribed rates would be applicable for 60% of the patients. The remaining patients, who can afford to pay, would be charged the normal rates.
Currently, hospitals have varying charges and in some private facilities the cost of a bed in the ICU with a ventilator is as high as Rs 72,000 per day. A few private hospitals are charging Rs 15,000-25,000 for the general ward, Rs 18,000-27,000 for twin-sharing, and Rs 20,000-30,000 for a private room per day.
A large number of people are in financial distress because their insurance companies have declined to give them cover for Covid-19 citing lack of a clause for a pandemic. For those without any health insurance, treatment in a private hospital is a financial nightmare.
The government is also likely to cap the cost of private ambulances because some of them are charging a lot for their services.
Meanwhile, three teams of experts will carry out rapid assessment of the existing capacity, patient care amenities and other aspects in five Delhi government hospitals treating Covid-19 patients and submit their report by Wednesday.
Recently, the exorbitant treatment charges being levied by some private hospitals had come under the scanner of Delhi government and the Centre. The DDMA meeting will be chaired by LG Anil Baijal and CM Arvind Kejriwal will attend it with his ministers and some senior officials.
A committee comprising Niti Aayog member Dr VK Paul and representatives of AIIMS and Delhi government, formed by Union ministry of home affairs, had been asked to submit rates that would be reasonable for various Covid-related facilities and tests.
Delhi government will notify the rates that private hospitals can charge for providing treatment. The prescribed rates would be applicable for 60% of the patients. The remaining patients, who can afford to pay, would be charged the normal rates.
Currently, hospitals have varying charges and in some private facilities the cost of a bed in the ICU with a ventilator is as high as Rs 72,000 per day. A few private hospitals are charging Rs 15,000-25,000 for the general ward, Rs 18,000-27,000 for twin-sharing, and Rs 20,000-30,000 for a private room per day.
A large number of people are in financial distress because their insurance companies have declined to give them cover for Covid-19 citing lack of a clause for a pandemic. For those without any health insurance, treatment in a private hospital is a financial nightmare.
The government is also likely to cap the cost of private ambulances because some of them are charging a lot for their services.
Meanwhile, three teams of experts will carry out rapid assessment of the existing capacity, patient care amenities and other aspects in five Delhi government hospitals treating Covid-19 patients and submit their report by Wednesday.
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