Haryana caps Covid-19 treatment rates for private hospitals
The prescribed rates to be all inclusive as a package but applicable to 60% of the total Covid-19 beds in private hospitals
CHANDIGARH : The Haryana government has capped the rates charged by private hospitals and medical colleges for hospitalisation of coronavirus infected patients. The prescribed rates shall be all inclusive as a package but applicable to 60% of the total Covid-19 beds in private healthcare facilities.
CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has capped the rates charged by private hospitals and medical colleges for hospitalisation of coronavirus infected patients.
The prescribed rates shall be all inclusive as a package but applicable to 60% of the total Covid-19 beds in private healthcare facilities.
The daily charges fixed by the state government for private hospitals accredited by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Health Care Providers (NABH) are Rs 10,000 for isolation beds (including supportive care and oxygen), Rs 15,000 for intensive care unit (without ventilator care) and Rs 18000 for intensive care unit with ventilator care.
For the NON-NABH accredited private healthcare facilities, Rs 8000 a day has been fixed for isolation beds (including supportive care and oxygen), Rs 13,000 a day for intensive care unit (without ventilator care) and Rs 15000 a day for intensive care unit with ventilator care.
An order issued by additional chief secretary (ACS, health) Rajeev Arora said that private hospitals and medical colleges in the state will not charge in excess of the rates prescribed by the state government. Non-adherence of the orders will attract penalty under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.
AN ORDER ISSUED BY ACS SAID THAT PRIVATE HOSPITALS, MEDICAL COLLEGES WILL NOT CHARGE IN EXCESS OF THE RATES PRESCRIBED BY THE GOVERNMENT
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE?
The rates will include charges for all lab investigations, diet, radiological diagnostics, monitoring charges, drugs, consumables, including PPE, masks and gloves, doctors visits, consultation, nursing care, physiotherapy, procedural charges such as intubation, intra arterial/neckline, catheterisation of all types, chest tube, splintage, cardioversion, haemodialysis or bedside dialysis and echocardiography.
The rates will also include blood transfusion and its components, including blood grouping and cross match, deploying of equipment such as alpha bed, infusion pump, multi-para monitors, intermittent pneumatic compression devices, nebulisers.
The rates fixed by the state government will also include the costs of medical care of underlying comorbid conditions, including supportive care and cost of medications thereof for the duration of care for Covid-19. These rates will apply to paediatric patients as well.
COVID-19 TESTS NOT INCLUDED IN PACKAGE
The rates fixed by the state government do not include the cost of Covid-19 diagnostic tests and experimental therapies such as administration of Remdesivir, the order said.the package also does not include the cost of delivery and care of new born.
The package is not applicable to beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (Ayushman Bharat). Patients who are not Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries and are referred by the civil surgeon concerned to notified Covid hospital can avail treatment on cashless basis. Those having personal or family insurance cover can avail treatment as per the terms and conditions of the individual policy, the order said.
The ACS (health) said the rates were fixed after going through the recommendations of a committee set up under Niti Aayog member, VK Paul, taking into account the financial viability of private hospitals and studying the precedents in other states like Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
The disparity in rates charged by private hospitals, officials said, was hampering equal access for inpatient hospital care for Covid patients. Thus, there was a need to standardise them.