Five more ‘fleecing’ Telangana hospitals face govt heat

HYDERABAD: For the second day in a row, the Telangana government on Saturday went after some private hospitals in the city for allegedly found flouting norms and fleecing Covid-19 patients. The government barred five more such facilities from treating Covid-19 patients.
These hospitals, the official order issued on Saturday stated, were not only adding “excess and irrelevant charges” to patients’ bills but also resorting to “mismanagement and lack of attention”.
The latest list includes Image Hospital (Ameerpet), Ankura Hospital (LB Nagar), Sia Life Hospital (Kondapur), Panchavati Hospital (Bhoothpur in Mahabubnagar) and Sai Siddartha Hospital (Shapurnagar, Sangareddy).
Earlier on Friday, the government cancelled the permission of five hospitals, including Virinchi Hospital (Banjara Hills), to offer Covid-19 treatment. While Virinchi was found allegedly violating treatment protocol, the four others — Vinn Hospital, TX Hospital, Max Health Hospital and Neelima Hospital — were reprimanded for overcharging patients.
Dr G Srinivasa Rao, director of public health, Telangana once again warned hospitals against flouting norms and said that further action would be taken if they do not fall in line. “Those found guilty of violating established protocols, norms or guidelines will be subjected to suitable disciplinary action,” the official said.
Citizens can lodge their complaints on the WhatsApp number 9154170960 against overcharging hospitals, Rao said.