Kolkata: Private hospitals hike charges

Kolkata: Due to the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many renowned private hospitals in Kolkata have now increased their service rates, including OPD.

Since the Covid-19 outbreak, many hospitals didn't get the chance to increase their rates whereas earlier before the pandemic hospitals increased their rates by around 3 percent each year. Medical insurance is excluded from the increase in hospital rates. 

Popular private hospitals like Belle Vue Clinic increased their OPD consultation fee from Rs 1,000 to 1,500, Peerless Hospital has increased their various diagnostic procedures by up to 5 percent and Amri hospital is trying to increase their operational efficiency by decreasing the price of it. While other hospitals are planning to do so.

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Pradip Tondon, CEO of Belle Vue told The Telegraph, "Because the pre-pandemic rates were persisting, the visiting consultants demanded a price rise. As a result, the cost was raised from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500. In comparison to 2019, operational expenditures have increased by 12 to 15%. We've also written to insurance firms, requesting that the rates for various packages be revised. They have not yet responded."

Sudipta Mitra, chief executive of Peerless Hospital said, "We have also increased doctors' consultation fees at the OPD by Rs 100. The operational costs have increased because of the rising prices of fuel, gas, and electricity. We also had to make salary revisions because there was no hike for employees for two years. We have also raised bed charges by 2 percent for uninsured patients."

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Rupak Barua, Group CEO of AMRI, "We have decided not to revise rates now. We are trying to increase operational efficiency. The doctors are being requested to make optimum use of consumables, which can reduce costs. We'll wait for six months to see how the measures work and then make a decision."

According to Barua, a letter has been sent to insurance companies by the hospital chain to ask for rate revisions, which has been pending since November 2019.

While some hospitals are trying to increase their hospital rates and asked insurance companies to join too, Some of the insurance companies responded to the matter saying they were not ready to revise the rates immediately.