Observing that the spike in the COVID-19 cases is mind-boggling and that the government has a unexpendable role in control profiteering by stakeholders, including private hospitals, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday asked the State government to come up with suggestions on reducing the COVID-19 treatment cost.
The Bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M.R. Anitha passed the order when a public interest litigation complaining about overcharging by private hospitals in the State for COVID-19 treatment came up for hearing.
State Attorney K.V. Sohan, appearing for the government, submitted that the government had issued an order last year regulating the treatment cost in private hospitals and it still held the ground. As per the order,the government had fixed ₹2,300 for general ward, ₹3,300 for HDU, ₹6,500 for ICU without ventilator and ₹11,500 for ICU with ventilator. It would consider if further downward revision would be possible after consulting all stakeholders, including private hospital managements.
‘Fraught with problems’
The court observed that the ordinary and hardworking citizens were torn between the social and emotional fallout of distancing protocol and lockdown on one hand and the “excruciating load of medical treatment cost” on the other. The court said that the role of the State government in regulating the costs in private hospitals was fraught with problems. But when its citizens were pushed to the precipice, the government had an unexpendable role to control the profiteering.
The court noted that new wave had brought with it memories of the first one and quoted the remark of a hapless patient that ‘it is easier to survive the shock of the disease than what is inflicted by the hospital bills.’ The court posted the case on May 4 for further hearing.
