The district administration, the police and media houses are flooded with complaints from various sections of the society, expressing ire over the exorbitant rates being charged by the private hospitals, including those empanelled by the district administration, for treating COVID-19 patients.
And this is happening despite the State government fixing rates for various categories of treatment, based on the condition of the patient.
Without any inhibition or considering the situation the entire world is in, due to the pandemic, the management of private hospitals are showing no mercy or consideration, said a senior officer from the State government, who faced hell in the recent times.
Narrating her tale, she said, “My husband tested positive and based on our physician’s advice we admitted him to a private hospital, as per his recommendation. A couple of days later, both me and my daughter tested positive and despite doctor’s advice for hospitalisation, we preferred home isolation. Meantime, my husband turned serious and the hospital called me around midnight one day and told us to shift him to another hospital that has ventilator facility. By that time, we paid ₹4 lakh for five days. But when we tried to shift him, the hospital management demanded another ₹1.5 lakh. It was around 1 a.m. and I promised to pay by morning. But they did not budge and somehow after experiencing hell till 4 a.m., I could mange to pay after calling a few relatives and friends, and get my husband released.”
Being a senior government officer, she lodged a complaint with the Vigilance Department and the hospital management was told to explain. But what about common man, she says.
The hospital management in most hospitals refuse to give receipts for the amount paid and also the case sheets of the patients.
“It has come to our notice that they even turn down patients who come under Aarogyasri, by saying that there are no vacant beds,” said a senior officer from the Vigilance Department.
In another recent case, the family members of a retired officer from a PSU, was charged ₹20 lakh for treatment for 20 days, at a private hospital.
“We had to pay, despite he is not surviving the illness. But we have no clue about the treatment that costed us so much,” said a family member.
A senior doctor from the Health Department, when contacted by The Hindu, said that the department is aware of the fleecing but there is nothing much that they can do. There is a fear that if the whip is cracked, the private hospitals may back off, and then the pressure would fall on the government health infrastructure.
Moreover, as per a few senior doctors, the rates fixed by the government is also not adequate for COVID treatment.
There are a lot of risk issues and HR problem, which needs to be addressed by the hospital management, and the rate fixed by the government is inadequate to address these issues. “The government should enhance the rates and then force the private hospitals to stick to it, so that there is a win-win situation for all. There are a few private hospitals ready to give the entire hospital with equipment, but sans manpower, to the government. But the government is not ready to take the offers, as it knows that it cannot be managed,” said the doctor.
In the city there are about 22 category A hospitals, including government and private hospitals, which are totally dedicated to COVID care and about 16 category -B hospitals, which are partially used for COVID treatment.