Stent overcharging: Court slams Haryana Govt for no action against Fortis Hospital

Referring to the government rules on the matter, the petitioners counsel pointed out that as per the August 6, 2013, guidelines issued by the health department, the empanelled hospitals were to charge an employee as per fixed package charges and would be fully reimbursable to the employees/pensioners and their dependents.

In response, the Haryana Government stated that Rs 1.30 lakh was paid for two stents to the petitioner as per the policy of the health department.

However, during the hearing of the case on August 11, 2017, Dr Vijay Garg, Director Health Service, Panchkula filed an affidavit where he accepted that Fortis had overcharged for the stents which were not in accordance with the price fixed by the state government.

Responding to the affidavit, the court clearly noted that  no action was taken against the hospital.

"Strangely enough, the state has observed that Fortis Hospital has over-charged the price of stents fixed by the government is still continuing to keep and maintain the said hospital on the panel. It was certainly a serious complaint against the hospital by an employee who had undergone medical treatment from the empanelled hospital as per guidelines of the state. It was for the Haryana government to take up the matter with Fortis and to take corrective steps so that similarly situated employees may not have to suffer in such extreme emergent cases," observed Justice Shekher Dhawan of the high court, quotes TOI

Justice Dhawan directed the state to take immediate actions. The Haryana Government has been asked to reimburse a sum of Rs 1.6 lakh to the petitioner. This has to be done within a period of two months at 9% interest rate. Besides the court further directed the authorities to “take corrective steps qua empanelment of Fortis Hospital, expeditiously.”