Karnataka: 5 private hospitals get notice for allegedly overcharging patients, asked to submit bill details

Written by Sanchari Chattopadhyay Published On 2021-06-10T16:26:10+05:30 | Updated On 10 Jun 2021 4:29 PM IST

Karnataka: 5 private hospitals get notice for allegedly overcharging patients, asked to submit bill details

Bangalore: The Karnataka Health Department has issued notice to five private hospitals for allegedly violating the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust (SAST) norms and overcharging patients admitted through private quota and has sought the details of the cost incurred to patients.

The hospitals have also been warned of FIR by the Health Department if they fail to come out with details of billing on patients who got admitted in the facilities since April 1, within 3 days.

The five hospitals that received the notices included Ashwini Hospital, St. John's Hospital, Athreya Hospital, KK Hospital, and Sparsh Hospital.

Also Read:Haryana: Panel to investigate Overcharging allegations against Paras Hospital

As per a recent media report in the Bangalore Mirror, most of the hospitals came under the radar of the Health Department after the department received reports that the hospitals were charging the patients almost double than the bed price fixed by SAST for private patients and they were also imposing additional costs as nursing charges and oxygen charges.

According to one of the health department officials, the hospitals were admitting patients via private quota but they were not following the price cap as fixed by SAST. The hospitals were incurring excessive charges from the patients in several contexts.

One of the senior officials confirmed that the SAST team received several complaints against the private hospitals and acting on the complaint, the health department issued notices directing them to provide the details of all the patients and their bills so that they can initiate an investigation accordingly.

The official told the daily, "We have given them three days to get back to us with the bills and if they fail to, we will take action against them. The hospital would be booked under KPME Act 2017, Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Ordinance 2020 (Karnataka Ordinance 7 of 2020) and Disaster Management Act 2005 along with IPC sections".

Asianet Newsable further reports that the hospitals were accused of excessive billing, overcharging patients and harassing them of either not releasing the body in case of death or forcefully confining the patients on the day of discharge.

However, a doctor from one of the hospitals in the list informed Bangalore Mirror that no such notices have been received by them from the health department or SAST. "We have not overcharged anyone and if they would like to go through the bills, we have no problem and would coordinate with them," he stated.

A few days ago a similar incident reportedly took place where Comfort Multispeciality hospital was booked for overcharging the patients including charging double the fixed bed rate and also securing additional payment in the name of oxygen supply from private patients.

overchargingHealth DepartmentSASTSuvarna Arogya Suraksha Trustkarnatakabangaloreprivate hospitalshospitals in bangalore

Source : with inputs

Sanchari Chattopadhyay

Sanchari Chattopadhyay has pursued her M.A in English and Culture Studies from the University of Burdwan, West Bengal. She likes observing cultural specificities and exploring new places.