Overcharging, treatment protocol violation: 27 TN private hospitals have faced Health Dept's wrath

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Health Department has so far taken action against 27 private hospitals in the state for violations that included charging exorbitant fees for COVID-19 treatment and deviating from standard treatment protocol. One hospital faced action for discharging a patient at midnight for being unable to pay the bill while some others were directed to make settlements of up to Rs 2 lakh after overcharging patients. 

The department temporarily cancelled the license to provide COVID treatment for nine hospitals after they violated the State’s treatment protocol. Three of the hospitals got their licenses back after giving an undertaking that they would not repeat the violation.

The department also directed 18 hospitals, including corporate hospitals, to make settlements for charging COVID patients excess fees. It may be recalled that private hospitals started treating patients for COVID in March.

#TNHealth dept has so far taken action against 27 private hospitals for overcharging #COVID__19 patients and violation of SOP. The authorities have even made some hospitals settle the excess amount collected from the patients. @xpresstn pic.twitter.com/Fu6BoWkXPk

— Sinduja (@Sinduj11) October 15, 2020

Of the nine hospitals, which faced action for violating treatment protocol, three are in Chennai while the rest are in Trichy, Virudhunagar, Salem, Coimbatore, Thoothukudi and Ranipet.

"Among them, one hospital in Kilpauk said it no longer wanted to provide COVID treatment while three hospitals (in Arumbakkam, Trichy and Tambaram) got their licenses back after giving an undertaking not to repeat the offense,” said an official in the Directorate of Medical Services (DMS), which took the action. 

“The hospital in Tambaram discharged one patient at midnight as they couldn't pay the bill, so we cancelled its license. Later the hospital tendered an apology and gave an undertaking so we gave it back the license," the official added.

The 18 hospitals, which faced action for overcharging, were directed to make settlements to the patients.

"Some hospitals returned Rs 30,000 while some hospitals returned up to Rs 2 lakh to the patients after we questioned them. Some claimed the billing section had made an error. They charged patients depending on the number of days the patient spent at the hospital,” the official explained. 

While in some cases the department took suo moto action, in others, patients complained directly to the DMS or even sent complaints by WhatsApp. 

“We took an undertaking from these hospitals that they will not repeat the offense and warned them their license will be cancelled if it happens again," the official said. Among the 18 hospitals, 16 are in Chennai and two are in Coimbatore district.