Pvt. Hospitals under watch

• DC forms team to check excess billing for COVID patients in General Ward only
• Call Mob: 74112-20187 or Mob: 94498-43060 to lodge complaints

Mysore/Mysuru: Taking serious note of complaints about fleecing of COVID-19 patients by Private Hospitals under the garb of treatment, the District Administration has requested citizens to bring it to its notice hefty bills by any Hospital for a patient admitted in General Ward so that the bills can be examined for irrelevant charges and if found to be so, the extra billed amount  could be refunded to the patients’ family.

“We will keep a close watch on all 64 Private Hospitals in the district. A team headed by Dr. Ravi, Family Planning Officer and comprising officials from various Departments, has been constituted mainly to look into the fat bills charged to the Corona positive patients by Private Hospitals. Upon receipt of complaints, the team members will visit the Hospital concerned and make the management to return the excess money collected from the patients,” Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri shared this information on a social media interaction forum this morning.

To whom it applies

However, according to District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. T. Amarnath, the refund rule is applicable only to those Corona positive patients who are under treatment in General Wards at Private Hospitals. 

It is not applicable to those availing treatment in semi-luxury, luxury, deluxe, individual or ICU and patients have to pay whatever fees fixed by the Hospital Management.

Whom to approach

The aggrieved citizens can lodge complaints with Dr. Ravi, Family Planning Officer (Mob: 74112-20187) or DHO Dr. Amarnath (Mob: 94498-43060).

Without mincing words, the DC said the State Government has fixed Rs.10,000 per day as charges for COVID-19 treatment in General Wards of Private Hospitals. No Hospital is supposed to charge over it.  The District Administration will not tolerate exploitation of COVID-19 patients in the name of treatment by Private Hospitals. 

There are 64 Private Hospitals in the district and each has reserved 24 beds for Corona positive patients. It has been made mandatory for the managements to display the number of beds available for Corona positive patients. Stern action will be initiated against hospitals which defy rules prescribed by the State Government, the Deputy Commissioner added.