Overcharging: Haryana plans surgical strike on hospitals – ET HealthWorld

Sources said hospitals set up by change of land use (CLU) as well as those which have been allotted land at subsidised rates are supposed to provide free services to at least 25% of their indoor or outdoor clinical patients.

During his meeting with deputy commissioners, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar expressed keenness to ensure implementation of this system, which was actually part of the terms and conditions at the time of allotment or signing of letter of intent in case of CLU cases in private hospitals.

“The DCs have been told to prepare an action plan in addition to compilation of data on hospitals. This proposal has come at a time when complaints of exorbitant billing started coming in. Some complaints have even come from the kin of those covered under the Ayushmann Scheme,’’ a CMO official said.

The government has already announced financial assistance of up to Rs 35,000 for patients from BPL and poor families for treatment in private hospitals.

During his interaction with media persons last week, CM Manohar Lal Khattar indicated that action would be taken to ensure that private hospitals did not harass locals. He cited the example of a complaint received by him about new ways devised by hospitals to charge money from patients by declaring them Covid negative just two days after the patient was declared Covid positive in the RT-PCR test. He alleged that this was done to avoid billing in accordance with the rates fixed by health authorities.

The CM suggested rationalisation of use of ambulances, at least those equipped with advanced equipment. Sources said there are around 400 such ambulances. The CM has asked deputy commissioners to provide one high-tech ambulance at 120 community health centres across the state. Remaining deployment would be done according to the status of the district hospital and its distance from the nearest tertiary care hospital. This suggestion was made after a few deputy commissioners asked for ventilator beds in CHCs.