Haryana caps Covid-19 treatment cost in private hospitals

It has now categorised private hospitals into two kinds — those accredited by NABH (national accreditation board for hospitals health providers) and JCN (joint commission international) hospitals. The charges at the accredited hospitals are a little higher.

According to the health department order, the non-accredited private hospitals cannot charge more than Rs 8,000 per day for an isolation bed, including supportive care and oxygen. The same is Rs 10,000 per day for accredited hospitals.

The upper limit for ICU (intensive care unit) without ventilator a day is Rs 13,000 at non-accredited hospitals and Rs 15,000 for the same in accredited hospitals.

Likewise, the non-accredited hospitals cannot charge more than Rs 15,000 daily for ICU with ventilator while Rs 18,000 has been fixed for the same for accredited hospitals.

An order issued by the Haryana Additional Chief Secretary Rajiv Arora Thursday made it clear that the hospitals shall not in any case compromise on the standards of treatment of covid-19 patients.

“The prescribed rates shall be all inclusive as a package. The rates will include but not be limited to charges such as all lab investigations, radiological diagnostics, monitoring charges, drugs, consumables including PPE/masks/ gloves etc…,” the order states.

“The rats 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 covid-19 patients have conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular problems…the charges for medical care of such co-morbidities will be part of the package,” Arora added in the order.

These rates shall apply to paediatric patients as well but, for pregnant women, costs of delivery (normal/C-section) and care of new born are not included in the package.

“…all covid beds shall be at fixed package rates subject to an upper limit of 60% of the total hospital bed capacity,” mentioned the order adding “non-adherence to these orders may invoke penalty under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code”.