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“Overcharged” during first wave, 4 Covid patients still await refund: Panchkula CMO
A special committee was constituted and it found out that the hospitals had indeed charged more fees from these patients, when compared to the rates fixed by the state government.
Four complaints regarding overcharging by private Covid-care hospitals filed last year remain unsettled, confirmed the civil surgeon of Panchkula.
This despite the fact that directions were issued by a specially constituted committee to refund the amount overcharged.
Last year, when the city was grappling with the first wave of the pandemic, four patients had filed a complaint against two private hospitals, alleging overcharging. One of the patients was “overcharged” ₹2 lakh.
A special committee was constituted and it found out that the hospitals had indeed charged more fees from these patients, when compared to the rates fixed by the state government.
As per the committee report, in one case, Paras Hospital, Panchkula, had charged ₹8,09,447 from a patient, ₹2,50,962 over the fixed rate. In other two cases, Paras Hospital was found to have charged ₹26,135 and ₹18,100 in excess.
The fourth complaint was against Alchemist Hospital, which had charged ₹1,85,600, ₹3,200 was in excess.
Hospitals were directed to reimburse excess amounts
Dr Jasjeet Kaur, civil surgeon, Panchkula, said: “To ensure that patients are not fleeced by private hospitals during the pandemic, the state government had fixed rates for Covid treatment. Last year, we got four complaints of overcharging, following which a committee was constituted, which had directed the hospitals to refund the excess amount.”
She added: “They have not reimbursed the amount yet.”
A spokesperson from Paras Hospital said: “We have refunded all bills and none is pending. One of the patients was Chanderkanta, who was charged over ₹8 lakh, and we have refunded around ₹2 lakh.”
Spokesperson of the Alchemist Hospital said: “The excess amount was ambulance charges and it has been refunded.”
Dr Jasjeet Kaur said: “I have checked with Sanjay Chanderkanta and three other patients. They have not received any reimbursement yet.”
Kaur said that this year, they have received at least five complaints of overcharging by various private hospitals including Alchemist, Paras, Wings and others. One patient was charged as high as ₹14 lakh for Covid treatment.
Most of the complaints were received by Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Gupta, who also wrote to the chief minister of Haryana. On May 28, a committee headed by additional deputy commissioner Mohd Imran Raza indicted the two private hospitals in five complaints.
