Days after Delhi, Haryana fixes cost in private hospitals

GURUGRAM: The Haryana government on Friday capped the cost of Covid-19 treatment in private hospitals using a similar formula as Delhi, days after home minister Amit Shah had asked Delhi and NCR cities to align strategies and, among several other suggestions, advised following the V K Paul committee's recommendations on capping treatment costs.
For Covid treatment, private hospitals can now charge between Rs 13,000 and Rs 15,000 per day for ICU beds without ventilators, down from the earlier range of Rs 20,000-Rs 30,000. For ICU beds with ventilators, the charges have been capped between Rs 15,000 and Rs 18000, revised from Rs 25,000-Rs 50,000. The cost of admission into isolation wards will be between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000, lowered from Rs 15,000-Rs 20,000.
In all categories, the upper price limit is for National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) hospitals. The Haryana government had recently fixed the cost of Covid-19 RT-PCR tests at Rs 2,400, bringing it down from the previous Rs 4,500. The decision to cap treatment costs was taken after complaints about private hospitals overcharging patients had poured in.
"Hospitals should provide hassle-free service and facilities to Covid patients without any delay or denial," the order from Rajiv Arora, Haryana additional chief secretary (health) said, adding that hospitals should not compromise on the standards of treatment.
Further, the government directed the hospitals not to charge any amount in excess of those prescribed. It said not adhering to its orders could invite penal action under IPC Section 188 (disobedience of order issued by a public servant).
The order said the prescribed rates will be all inclusive as a package. They will include but not be limited to charges such as all lab investigations, radiological diagnostics, monitoring charges, drugs, consumables, including PPE, masks, gloves, doctor's visit or consultation, nursing care, physiotherapy, procedural charges such as intubation, catheterization of all types, chest tube, transfusion of blood and its components, said the order.
The rates will also include the cost of medical care of underlying comorbid conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular problems, including support care and cost of medication. These rates will also apply to paediatric patients as well. The rates don't include the cost of the Covid-19 diagnostic test AND experimental therapies like administration of Remdesivir.
For pregnant women, cost of delivery and care of newborns are not included in the package and may be charged additionally by hospitals as per the prevailing Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) rates. The order said before fixing the rates, the government had taken into account the recommendations of the Niti Aayog committee led by VK Paul, financial viability of private hospitals and studying precedents in other states like Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Telangana.
Last week, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority had ordered a similar reduction for all Covid beds in private hospitals in the national capital. For an isolation bed, a patient was earlier required to pay Rs 24,000-Rs25,000 per day, which was reduced to Rs 8,000-10,000. For an ICU with ventilator, which costs Rs 44,000-Rs 54,000, the rate was lowered to Rs 15,000-Rs 18,000. For ICUs without ventilator, which cost Rs 34,000-Rs 43,000, it was reduced to Rs 13,000-Rs 15,000.