Covid-19: TMC asks Thane hospitals to refund excess bill amounts

THANE: As many as 25 private hospitals in Thane have collectively overcharged patients to the tune of Rs 1.14 crore for Covid-19 treatment, reveals a Thane municipal corporation audit report.
The administration, following a review meeting, has now served notices to 22 facilities asking them to refund the excess amount to patients or face action.
Three hospitals have promptly repaid the excess amounts to patients while the rest are expected to pay anywhere to the tune of Rs 50- 29 lakhs, said officials.
It may be recalled that following the issue of overcharging by hospitals raised by several patients and relatives following which the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had warned of protest after which the Thane corporation set up a team of auditors to ascertain such suspicious bills wherein it was feared that the hospitals had apparently deviated from the treatment protocol to inflate the bills.
“As many as 25 prominent facilities from the city were found to have inflated the treatment cost for Covid-19 following which we took up the issue with the administration. A team of auditors surveyed the bills and found lapses to the tune of Rs 1,14crore. We have now demanded the administration to pursue the issue and ensure the patients get their money back,” said Sandeep Pachange, district president, of the MNS student wing.
DR V Deogekar, medical officer for health remained unavailable for comment but officials confirmed the department has issued notices to hospitals and even warned them of stern action if the compliance wasn’t done in the next fortnight.
The notices sent have also directed the hospital staff to also update the corporation about the payment done to the respective patients and its mode.