The Nagpur Municipal Corporation Commissioner Radhakrishnan .B has directed 16 Covid designated private hospitals in the city to refund excess amounts charged from patients after receiving complaints of hospitals about charging the excess amount to the patients in the name of Covid 19 treatment despite the rate fixed by the state government for charging coronavirus patients.
The hospitals where the notice was served include Nucleus Mother and Child Super Specialty Hospital, Chhatrapati Chowk, Orius Institute of Medical Sciences, Grace Ortho Hospital, Ravinagar, Medicare Multispeciality Hospital, Koradi Road, Sengupta Hospital Ravinagar, Sushruta Institute Of Medical Sciences, Ramdaspeth, Central Hospital Ramdaspeth, Ganga Care Hospital Ramdaspeth, Samarpan Hospital And Research Institute Ramdaspeth, SIMS Hospital Bajajnagar, Ever Shine Hospital, Shree Bhavani Multispeciality Hospital and Research Institute Trust Pardi, Seven Star Hospital Great Nag Road, Sunflower Hospital, Viveka Hospital, and Zenith Hospital.
Complaints of private hospitals overcharging patients for Covid-19 treatment have been reported repeatedly. Taking cognizance of the situation, the NMC body appointed a pre-auditor team to check whether these hospitals are charging high rates or not. Thus the reports revealed that the hospital rates for covid-19 were higher than the rates fixed by the government. It also reported that some hospitals have charged higher rates for PPE kits than the government rate while some hospitals have charged higher rates for beds and physician visit rates as well.
Taking stern action against such ill practice during the time of crisis, Additional Commissioner Jalaj Sharma on the order of NMC Commissioner, issued notices to the administrative officers of all the 16 hospitals instructing them to return the extra amount collected from the patients immediately. The action has hit private hospitals providing some relief to the patients.
