Probe begins against Panchkula hospital for overcharging Covid-19 patients

Haryana health minister sets up three-member committee to probe into complaints of inflated bills after Vidhan Sabha speaker raised the issue

Haryana health minister Anil Vij on Friday ordered an inquiry against Paras Hospital, Panchkula, for overcharging Covid-19 patients. Vij formed a three-member committee to probe the complaints forwarded to him by Vidhan Sabha speaker and Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Gupta.

Haryana home minister Anil Vij formed a three-member panel to probe complaints of overcharging at the private facility. (HT file)

The committee, comprising state medical education and research director Dr Shaleen, additional director general of health services Dr VK Bansal and a state finance department official, will submit its report in a week.

Gupta had written to the state government, requesting it to carry out an audit of bills issued to Covid patients by private hospitals. He had even visited Paras Hospital after getting complaints of overcharging.

Gupta said, “I had recommended that the allegations against Paras Hospital be probed by a high-level committee after the district-level committee had found discrepancies. I have also recommended that the licence of the hospital be cancelled and the same be locked as we cannot allow them to fleece the patients.”

Speaker cites three instances

Gupta in his letter to the health minister had mentioned three cases of overcharging. One Jog Dhyan was handed over a bill of ₹7.6 lakh by Paras Hospital on May 13 for his treatment for Covid-19 between May 2 and 13. The charges were reduced to ₹2.9 lakh after district administration intervened and district-level committee was set up to look into the allegations.

The family of another Covid-19 patient who had succumbed to the virus on April 9, was handed a bill of ₹9.7 lakh for his treatment since March 24 at Paras Hospital.

Dharam Pal Singhal, who had been admitted to the same hospital on April 17 and was discharged on May 3, was handed a bill of ₹4.97 lakh for various procedures as well as lab tests.

Gupta had written in the letter that several patients and their families have approached him for help during the second wave.

Haryana had in June last year issued an order capping the daily package rate for Covid-19 treatment in private hospitals between ₹8,000 to ₹18,000.

We follow govt policies: Hospital

Paras Hospital spokesperson in a statement to the media said, “In this pandemic, we are standing firmly along side the government in its fight and serving the patients. We are completely aligned with government policies and patient bills are prepared as per the guidelines issued by government authorities. We will be fully cooperating with the inquiry and ensure that we continue to save as many lives as possible and treat as many patients as possible.”