The State government has made it mandatory for private hospitals to increase the number of operational beds to accommodate maximum number of patients.
According to a revised notification issued on Thursday, 80% of beds in private hospitals will now be regulated to ensure that patients are billed as per the government price cap. In the remaining 20% beds, the hospitals will be allowed to charge their own rates.
In an earlier order issued on April 30, the government had mandated private hospitals to levy the lowest rates as per their agreements with insurance companies. A detailed list of rates for hospitals who did not have tie-ups with insurance companies was also provided.
The capped prices were applicable for patients without medical insurance and to those who had exhausted their medical insurance cover. But hospitals continued to charge their own rates while simultaneously negotiating with the government to relax the order.
Dr. Sudhakhar Shinde, CEO, State Health Assurance Society, said Thursday’s order is more refined and comprehensive, leaving no scope for hospitals to turn away from their responsibility during the pandemic. “There shall be no difference in the quality of treatment of patients under the 80% (regulated) or 20% beds,” the notification states. While the notification was for patients suffering from all diseases, the revised document clarifies exact rates that can be applied for COVID-19 patients. The order also caps rates for nearly 200 non-COVID treatment packages, including various cancer treatments.
“This is a government order and we will have to comply with it. There is no question of profits, we will be incurring losses,” said N. Santhanam, CEO of Breach Candy Hospital and vice-president of Association of Hospitals (AoH), a body of 54 city private hospitals. “But the government has requested us to comply because of the ongoing pandemic,” said Mr. Santhanam, adding that hospitals were able to keep only limited beds operational due to the staff crunch. “In facilities treating COVID-19 patients, staff getting infected is an issue. Daily commute for the staff has also been a problem,” he said, adding that smaller hospitals may find it more difficult to sustain themselves. The State is hopeful that more beds will be open up due to the order.
