हिंदी
Hospital charged 106 percent more against rates fixed by government
Ludhiana, May 24,2021
In a stringent action against the private hospitals indulging in fleecing the patients for Covid treatment, a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against Jain Multispeciality Hospital, Khanna on Monday for charging nearly 106 percent above the rates fixed by the government.
A case under sections 269, 270, 188 of IPC, 51 (B) and 58 of Disaster Management Act 2005 and 3 of Epidemic Disease Act 1897 has been registered against the management of the hospital on the complaint of Sagar Verma, a resident of Yamuna Nagar in Haryana.
Verma had filed a complaint with deputy commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma against the hospital for overcharging regarding the Covid treatment of his father who later died in another hospital.
The Deputy Commissioner had ordered a probe against the hospital and a committee headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner (D) Sandeep Kumar, Deputy Director Dr Hatinder Kaur and Assistant Civil Surgeon Dr Vivek Kataria to complete the inquiry within 48-hours.
The inquiry has reported that as per government’s rates fixed for the Covid treatment, the actual bill of Verma’s father was to be charged at Rs 235450 only and hospital earlier asked to the complainant to pay Rs 845062. Later in the probe, the hospital termed it clerical mistake and said that the bill was Rs 486010 which was too more than 106 percent against government’s guidelines.
The report also blamed that due to malpractice of overbilling by the hospital, the complainant shifted his father to another health institution where he succumbed later so that allegations against Jain Multispecialty Hospital were true.
Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said that the district administration has been keeping a close vigil on the functioning of hospitals and no one would be allowed for any kind of malpractice.
He said that anyone can file a complaint on 104 helpline number of Health department and his office regarding unethical practice in this hour of crisis.
Sharma said that in this hour of distress, it is duty of administration to combat the Covid-19 and strict action would be taken against the erring for violating the guidelines of the health department regarding the capped charges of Covid treatment.
