Hospitals charged for PPE, food: PMC
PMC scrutinised 50 bills over a week
Civic body scrutinises bills after complaints
A probe by thePune Municipal Corporation (PMC ) has found that hospitals are charging additional money for personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and food.
While there are complaints from citizens aboutmedicine bills as well, authorities have stated that they cannot question this because the line of treatment and drugs is entirely the doctor’s call. Activists have, however, stated that the civic body cannot ignore medicines as per the specified norms of the government.
coronavirus disease (COVID-19) treatment, the district administration had decided to scrutinise every bill above Rs 1.5 lakh.
Accordingly, in the last week, the civic body probed 50 such complaints regarding the amount charged in the billing. Out of these, they found out that almost 36 bills were problematic. After the audit was done, these hospitals were asked to reduce the excess amount charged.
Rubal Agarwal, additional commissioner, PMC, said, “We had received bills for a total Rs 1,18,43,967. After our scrutiny, problems were found with 36 bills and Rs 29,24,203 was reduced from these bills.”
Officials claimed that they have defined per day charges of Rs 4,000 per patient to hospitals. Anything that exceeds this amount is being scrutinised. However, they found three grey areas in billing. A senior PMC official from the health department looking into the billing issue said, “We are considering that doctors in three shifts would need three PPE kits in a day. Apart from this, the nursing and other staff might need to use the kits as well. The charges are around Rs 400 to 500. The hospitals were, however, charging more for more kits. We have got them to reduce it. Only an average charge for only three kits can be allowed to be levied. All the remaining expenditure, including food needs, are to be covered in the defined charges of Rs 4,000.”
“The line of treatment is a doctor’s call. The doctor can decide what medicines are to be given and how. So while there are complaints, we cannot question this. What we can do is check the pricing and get them to levy the price they paid to purchase the medicine.”
However, Dr Abhijeet More, health activist and member ofAam Aadmi Party (AAP), said, “The state government has defined norms regarding medicines as well. The package is all inclusive. They have specified only a few medicines. Otherwise everything has been defined and has been brought under price regulation. Whatever be the line of treatment, the amount cannot exceed the one specified. If it is only for medicines like Remdesivir then there is no specification. Apart from this, the civic body should question everything.”
A probe by the
While there are complaints from citizens about
Due to multiple complaints about hospital charges for
Accordingly, in the last week, the civic body probed 50 such complaints regarding the amount charged in the billing. Out of these, they found out that almost 36 bills were problematic. After the audit was done, these hospitals were asked to reduce the excess amount charged.
Rubal Agarwal, additional commissioner, PMC, said, “We had received bills for a total Rs 1,18,43,967. After our scrutiny, problems were found with 36 bills and Rs 29,24,203 was reduced from these bills.”
Officials claimed that they have defined per day charges of Rs 4,000 per patient to hospitals. Anything that exceeds this amount is being scrutinised. However, they found three grey areas in billing. A senior PMC official from the health department looking into the billing issue said, “We are considering that doctors in three shifts would need three PPE kits in a day. Apart from this, the nursing and other staff might need to use the kits as well. The charges are around Rs 400 to 500. The hospitals were, however, charging more for more kits. We have got them to reduce it. Only an average charge for only three kits can be allowed to be levied. All the remaining expenditure, including food needs, are to be covered in the defined charges of Rs 4,000.”
“The line of treatment is a doctor’s call. The doctor can decide what medicines are to be given and how. So while there are complaints, we cannot question this. What we can do is check the pricing and get them to levy the price they paid to purchase the medicine.”
However, Dr Abhijeet More, health activist and member of
Recent Messages ()
Please rate before posting your Review
SIGN IN WITH
Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive. Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.