Haryana; COVID-19 treatment cost capped in private hospitals

The Haryana government has capped the cost of COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals, fixing the maximum rate at non-NABH accredited facilities for patients who need to be kept in ICU with ventilator care at Rs 15,000 per day. For isolation beds, including supportive care and oxygen (moderate sickness), the cost per patient per day has been fixed at Rs 8,000, the government said in an order issued on Thursday.

The cost for a COVID-19 patient with severe sickness requiring ICU facility without ventilator care will be Rs 13,000, and for those who need to be kept in ICU with ventilator care (non-invasive/invasive) the cost per day will be Rs 15,000, it said.

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For National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) hospitals, the treatment cost per day for the three categories of patients will be Rs 10,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 18,000 respectively, the order added.

On Tuesday, Health Minister Anil Vij had told PTI the Haryana government will ensure affordable treatment even for those opting for private hospitals.

The government directed the hospitals to not charge any amount in excess of those prescribed for the treatment of COVID-19 patients and said not adhering to its orders could invite penalty under IPC Section 188 (disobedience to order issued by a public servant).

It said the prescribed rates is all inclusive as a package.

The rates will include but be not limited to charges such as, all lab investigations, radiological diagnostics, monitoring charges, drugs, consumables including PPE/masks/gloves etc. doctor's visit or consultation, nursing care, physiotherapy, procedural charges such as intubation, catheterization of all types, chest tube, transfusion of blood and its components, cardioversion etc, said the order.

However, this will not include the experimental therapies like Remdesivir.

The rates will include the costs of medical care of underlying co-morbid conditions including supportive care and cost of medications thereof, for the duration of care for COVID-19.

Since many of the coronavirus patients have conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular problems etc, the charges for medical care of such co-morbidities will be a part of the package.

These rates will apply to pediatric patients as well, it said.

However, for pregnant women, costs of delivery (normal/C-section) and care of newborn are not included in the package and may be charged by the hospital extra as per prevailing PM-JAY rates of relevant packages.

The rates will not include the cost of COVID-19 diagnostic tests.

The hospital should provide seamless services to Coronavirus patients and not compromise on the standards of treatment of these patients, said the order.

The beneficiaries under Ayushman Bharat scheme will avail the treatment on cashless basis.

The patients who are not Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries and are referred by civil surgeons to notified COVID-19 hospital will avail treatment on cashless basis.

The COVID-19 hospital should charge as per the package rates of the central government scheme and submit the bills against the provided treatment to the civil surgeon who referred the patient.

Persons having personal/family health insurance cover may avail treatment as per the terms and conditions of the individual policy.

"The state government is making all effort to make healthcare accessible to general public and providing free testing and treatment in government hospitals across the state.

However, the disparity in the charges across various private hospitals is hampering egalitarian and equal access for inpatient hospital care.

"Therefore, the rates of various facilities in private hospitals/medical colleges need to be standardised for COVID-19 patients," it said.

Before fixing the rates, the government took into account the recommendations of a Niti Aayog committee, financial viability of the private hospitals and studying the precedents in other states like Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Telangana, the order stated.

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