Taking note of media reports regarding some private hospitals charging exorbitant rates for treating COVID-19 patients, the Madras High Court on Monday directed the State government to look into this aspect and ensure that some kind of cap was fixed so that an ordinary citizen, unable to obtain a bed at any government medical facility, is not financially ruined only in trying to save his life by obtaining admission at a private hospital.
Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy also granted a week’s time for Advocate General R. Shunmugasundaram to produce details regarding the eligibility criteria to get enrolled under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS), in which 1.58 crore people had reportedly enrolled and were enjoying the benefit of cashless treatment at empanelled private hospitals.
The directions were issued on a public interest litigation petition filed by advocate D.I. Nathan, who sought a direction to the State government to devise a scheme for taking over all private hospitals and provide treatment free of cost to COVID-19 patients. The litigant referred to news reports to claim that many private hospitals in the State were fleecing patients in the guise of treating them and had been charging hefty amount towards treatment costs.
Observing that the court too had been receiving letters from the general public complaining about overcharging by private hospitals, the Bench said: “While the services rendered by the doctors and nursing staff, even in private medical facilities, must be appreciated, there are reports of overcharging and this must be looked into by the State government.”
In reply, the A-G stated that a considerable number of people, covered under CMCHIS, get free treatment. He said the government servants and even the pensioners too had group insurance policies. Further, private hospitals had been instructed to follow the guidelines laid down in a government order issued on June 5, 2020 and district-level committees, headed by Joint Directors of Health Services, had been formed to act on complaints received from the general public regarding overcharging by private hospitals.
“More than 20 private hospitals have refunded the amount after the intervention of the Health Department to the patients who lodged a complaint with the authorities. Permission granted to nearly eight hospitals for treating COVID-19 patients were cancelled temporarily for overcharging and other reasons. Therefore, patients could lodge their complaints before the competent authorities in the district,” the A-G said.
