RTI reply blasts private hospitals

[karira]

RTI reply blasts private hospitals
Prashant Hamine
Friday, June 15, 2007 09:44 IST
Contrary to providing free beds and concessional rates, the 525 victims in the 7/11 serial bomb blasts last year have been charged medical expenses at commercial rates by private hospitals.

This has come to light in a reply given by Western Railway to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) former MP Dr Kirit Somaiya. However, speaking to DNA on Wednesday, official spokespersons for Jaslok and Hinduja hospitals denied the charge.

The Railways made a payment of Rs3,16,42,234 crore for the victims who were treated at 21 major private hospitals across the city. The state and central governments had announced that they would foot the expenses of victims undergoing treatment at private hospitals.

The hospitals were directed to forward medical bills of blast victims. According to the information given by the Western Railways, private hospitals were charging Rs500 to Rs800 for patients in their General Wards.

The bed charges ranged from Rs600 to Rs750 per day, visiting charges of Interns and Resident Medical Officers ranged from Rs200 to Rs600 as well as other charges.

Executive Director of Jaslok Hospital, Colonel (retired) BS Khemani denied the charge. He said that comatose patient Amit Singh was initially admitted to JJ Hospital and then shifted to Jaslok hospital on July 13 and given a free bed. “Singh and other patients were charged at subsidised rates,” he added.

PD Hinduja Hospital sources said comatose patient Parag Sawant was provided with common category bed accommodation and no commercial rates were charged.

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DNA - Mumbai - RTI reply blasts private hospitals - Daily News & Analysis

[ssen123]

It is a common fact that the private hospitals charge exhorbitant amounts to corporate clients as the individual do not pay. There is an unethical atmosphere where the corporate clients are over billed in medicines and are not released till the expected amount is realised from each patient.
Strict vigil through audit is required to expose and warn the private hospitals against such unethical business practices.

[karira]

Originally Posted by ssen123

It is a common fact that the private hospitals charge exhorbitant amounts to corporate clients as the individual do not pay. There is an unethical atmosphere where the corporate clients are over billed in medicines and are not released till the expected amount is realised from each patient.
Strict vigil through audit is required to expose and warn the private hospitals against such unethical business practices.

What about package rates "negotiated" by CGHS with private hospitals, which are higher than even normal rates ?
Hospitals prescribing/administering drugs/medicines to CGHS patients of the costliest varieties, when the same molecule is available in another brand at less than 20% of the price ?

[ssen123]

What is CAG doing in this regard? Is there any RTI query on how much amount spent on Private Hospitals by Central Govt and PSUs , which is more than the occassion demands?