Private Kolkata hospitals told to refund money to patients

As per a recent media report in Telegraph India, advisories on discounts on medicines and consumables and rates for pathological tests were not followed.

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Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals was directed to return an amount of Rs 63,211 to the kin of a patient admitted at the hospital in September. The hospital had provided a discount of Rs 54,584.

The chairperson of the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission, retired judge Ashim Banerjee stated that Apollo had "agreed they had billed Rs 63,211 in addition to the discount already given earlier."

The Fortis hospital was directed to create a fresh bill after including all discounts advised by the commission over time. The hospital bill for treating a 65 year old patient was Rs 7.08 lakh. Judge Banerjee said, "Fortis did not offer a discount on consumables and medicines. Besides, their investigation charges were also high," adding, "We have asked the hospital to prepare a fresh bill."

Earlier in August 2020, the commission had issued advisories directing private hospitals to offer a discount of 10 percent on medicines and 20 percent discount on consumables. On July 3 this year, it had also fixed a limit to the rates for a number of pathological and radiological tests.

Meanwhile, during the hearing on Monday, AMRI Hospital, Mukundapur was found to be conducting 'unnecessary tests' on a 32 year old woman admitted to the hospital with dengue in the month of October.

The judge said the hospital charged a bill of Rs 45, 103 for the investigations whereas the TPA (third-party administrator) had sanctioned Rs 31,783, adding, "The TPA did not sanction the balance amount as the tests conducted were in addition to the circular for such tests issued by the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme."

The group CEO of AMRI Hospitals, Rupak Barua said they "strongly objects to the decision of the commission", adding, "Some tests have to be conducted to ascertain the condition of a patient. The tests we did were absolutely justified. The order of the commission seems unreasonable."

Further, the commission also directed the Woodlands Hospital to return Rs 30,030 to the kin of a 57-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital in the month of October. Banerjee said, "The hospital did not offer a discount on consumables. Our advisory was not followed in pathological tests." Woodland Hospital official were not available for comments.

The commission also heard three complaints against private hospitals which had refused to admit patients under Swasthya Sathi scheme, reports Telegraph India.

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