Standardising rates for healthcare: Health Ministry Calls Emergency Meeting with Private Hospitals
New Delhi: Following the Supreme Court's directions to specify a range of rates for availing services at private hospitals and clinical establishments, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare called an emergency meeting with the private hospitals.
The meeting will be attended by the Union Health Secretary, Banking Secretary, and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) officials.
Issues like the existing cost of services will be considered during the meeting and the Ministry might also consider decreasing the cost at private hospitals, adds Zee Business.
This comes after the Supreme Court took cognisance of the disparity of cost of services at government and private hospitals while considering a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an NGO 'Veterans Forum for Transparency in Public life'. Filing the plea under Article 32 of the Constitution, the NGO prayed for a direction on the Union Government to determine the rate of fee chargeable from the patients in terms of Rule 9 of the Clinical Establishment (Central Government) Rules, 2012.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Supreme Court on Tuesday slammed the Union Government for its failure to fix a range of rates of services at private healthcare facilities.
Even though Rule 9 of the Clinical Establishment (Central Government) Rules, 2012 mandates that the Government shall determine the rate of fee chargeable from the patients at private hospitals and clinical establishments, it has not been enforced till now.
Rule 9 states, "every clinical Establishment shall display the rates charged for each type of service provided and facilities available, for the benefit of the patients at a conspicuous place in the local as well as english language." It further mentions that the clinical establishments shall charge the rates for each type of procedures and services within the range of rates determined and issued by the Central government from time to time, in consultation with the State governments.
Issuing directions to the Union Health Secretary to hold a meeting with the State Counterparts and come up with a concrete proposal before the next date of hearing, the Supreme Court bench has warned that if the Government fails to comply with the directions, the Court shall consider issuing CGHS rates instead.
As per the latest media report by Zee Business, following the Supreme Court's directions on Tuesday, the Union Health Ministry called a meeting on the charges of private hospitals. The Health Secretary, Banking Secretary, IRDAI officials will participate in the meeting.
The Daily adds that the Ministry is going to conduct a survey on the pricing model that is currently in place at the private hospitals. Further, the cost of services will also be considered during the meeting and the Ministry might also consider decreasing the cost. Australia's price model will also be reviewed.
Meanwhile, considered with he Supreme Court's directions for standardising the rates of services at private hospitals and clinical establishments, the management of private hospitals have opined that the move will be "catastrophic" for the industry and also affect the quality of healthcare.
Taking up the issue and the concerns of the healthcare industry, the Association of Healthcare Providers (AHPI), which represents medium and small hospitals, has decided to approach the Supreme Court.
