Over Pricing of Covid treatment at hospital

Private hospitals, strained by a flood of critically ill covid-19 patients, have asked the government to revise coronavirus testing and treatment costs and streamline health insurance reimbursements to ease the financial pressure on them.
 
Amid reports of overcharging by private hospitals for covid treatment last year, the government capped the treatment prices to prevent patients from harassment. The treatment for isolation beds is currently priced between Rs. 8,000 and Rs. 10,000. For ICU units without ventilators, the charges are fixed between Rs. 13,000 and Rs. 15,000. For ICU with ventilators, a bed costs between Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 18,000. All charges include PPE costs.
 
While all other state governments that have capped prices for healthcare services for coronavirus patients, such as Haryana, Maharashtra and Punjab, have explicitly stated in their notifications that insured patients will be treated at prices and terms as per insurance contract or policy, the Delhi order does not provide such clarity in their order.
 
Similarly, the second wave of covid-19 has forced the private diagnostic sector to reach out to the Union health ministry, state governments and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to review the caps on covid-19 tests from Rs. 400 to Rs. 800 across states.
 

What can you do if your hospital is overcharging for COVID treatment?

If a private hospital refuses to treat a non-Covid-19 patient or is overcharging for the treatment, it can lead to cancellation of its medical registration licence. Multiple grievances of patients being turned away in private or public hospitals leading to denial of critical health services, which are not related to Covid-19, has led the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Delhi’s Health Department to clarify that no person should be denied healthcare in time of need.
 
In an order, Padmini Singla, Secretary, Delhi’s Department of Health said, “Non- compliance will be viewed seriously and action as per provision of law, including cancellation of registration of defaulter hospital or nursing home, will be initiated without further notice.”
 
The Supreme Court had also asked the Centre in a Judgment dated 14th July 2020 to meet with stakeholders and prepare directions to be issued to the States under the Disaster Management Act of 2005 to ensure that no coronavirus (COVID-19) patient in need of treatment is turned away from a hospital merely because he cannot afford medical care.

In an attempt to curb this practice, State governments have also been setting up 24×7 helpline numbers where you can lodge a complaint in case a hospital denies admission.