With an uptick in the number of patients complaining about hospitals overcharging for treatment, the Telangana government cracked the whip on Friday. Permission to treat COVID-19 patients was cancelled for five private hospitals and show-cause notices were issued to 60 others for violating government norms.
Earlier in the day, the government cancelled the permission of Virinchi Hospitals. Later on, orders were issued that the permissions given to four other hospital permissions had also been revoked. The other hospitals included Vinn Hospitals, TX Hospitals, Max Health Hospitals and Neelima Hospital. The action was taken against these hospitals for overcharging patients in violation of the Government Order (GO), which fixed the maximum rates chargeable by private hospitals provided by them for COVID-19 treatment.
In the Government Order, the Director of Public Health said that no new COVID-19 patient shall be admitted to these hospitals but no inconvenience should be caused to patients who have already been admitted. They have to be treated as per treatment protocols. It was also said in the order that all these patients have to be charged as per price ceilings fixed by the government.
Individual orders were issued for each hospital. “If it is found that the said hospital is not following these orders, then the government will be compelled to cancel the license issued to the hospital,” reads one of the orders.
In June 2020 and July 2020, the government gave orders to fix the maximum rate chargeable by private hospitals for COVID-19 treatment and various related services. The prices fixed by the government have been in effect since. However, several private hospitals were found overcharging patients and continue to do so as there were several people complaining about the same on social media as well. Meanwhile, it is mentioned in the order that non-compliance of the fixed prices would attract action.
With IANS inputs