Rate caps for private hospitals in Maharashtra to continue till Aug 31

The state government, while extending its order of the capped rates for private hospitals for Covid-19 treatment till August 31, has also reduced the charges for smaller cities and village-tehsil level hospitals

The state government, while extending its order of the capped rates for private hospitals for Covid-19 treatment till August 31, has also reduced the charges for smaller cities and village-tehsil level hospitals.

HT Image

All the municipal corporations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, except Vasai Virar, Bhiwandi, Nagpur and Pune, have been classified as A-class areas, while districts such as Nashik, Amravati, Bhiwandi, Nanded, Kolhapur and Sangli have been classified as B-class areas. The remaining rural regions are in C-category.

While the charges for the routine isolation range from ₹4,000, ₹3,000 and ₹2,400 per day for A, B and C category areas, respectively, it is ₹7,500, ₹5,500 and ₹4,500 for ICU without ventilators. For the treatment in ICU with ventilators, the rates are ₹9,000, ₹6,700 and ₹5,400 for the hospitals. The rates include monitoring, investigations such as CBC, serum creatinine, urine routine, X-ray, ECG, nursing and bed charges.

The state government had fixed the rates during the first wave of the pandemic last year after it received complaints of exorbitant charges levied by private hospitals. The rates have been fixed for the 80% beds in private hospitals, acquired by the government, for Covid-19 patients.

Public health minister Rajesh Tope said that there was a demand from people in villages and smaller cities to not keep the rates on par with that in cities like Mumbai.

“Hospitals in villages, tehsil and district places have started treating Covid-19 patients. It would not have been appropriate to keep universal rates across the state. People in rural Maharashtra will get respite after the decision,” he said.

“The cities and areas have been classified on the basis of benchmarks applied by insurance companies and for giving allowances. Until now, the rates were uniform for the entire state. Health and finance department have been getting requests for the reduction in the rates for the hospitals in rural areas. The hospitals are required to charge according to pre-audited bills. Hospitals violating the norms will face action after flying squads review the bills,” a statement issued by chief minister’s office said.

However, the hospitals will be free to levy charges for PPE kits, high-end investigations and drugs and Covid-19 tests.