Revised vaccine rates at private hospitals come into effect amid confusion, in Nagpur

NAGPUR: The missing date of implementation in the union health ministry’s letter regarding revised charges of per dose of Covid19 vaccination has left private hospitals and citizens baffled.
As a consequence, Kingsway Hospital — the only private Covid vaccination centre (CVC) inoculating 18+ group as of now in the city — was forced to refund the difference amount for registrations done since Wednesday morning.
The ministry’s letter followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement that all 18+ beneficiaries would get free vaccination from June 21.
Private hospitals and citizens were under the impression that the revised rates would come into effect from June 21.
Sources told TOI that Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) didn’t issue any separate guidelines but forwarded the letter in its WhatsApp group asking the CVCs to implement it.
Additional municipal commissioner Ram Joshi said they received queries regarding the interpretation. “The circular doesn’t say the revised rates have to be made applicable from June 21. Hence the benefit must be passed on immediately,” he said.
The ministry also tasked the state government to monitor the price of doses at private CVCs.
The central government has notified Rs780, Rs1,410 and Rs1,145 for each dose of Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik, respectively, at private hospitals. Cowin system too was reset from June 9 morning as per the new rates.
Waseem Khan, vice president of district Youth Congress, said though the system showed Rs780 on June 9, he was charged Rs1,100 for Covishielld. After Khan made a post viral, he claimed the hospital refunded him but his relatives were yet to get a call for it. He said Rs100 were in excess of the revised rates.
Amit Somani, director of Kingsway Hospital, said the hospital has refunded all those who registered and paid Rs1100 from Wednesday morning onwards as the central government’s circular. “Now, we are charging Rs780 for vaccination and Rs100 for hospital registration. Generally we charge Rs200 as registration fee for OPD for new patients and it can be used throughout the year. But for vaccination a 50% discount is being given. We were assuming the revised charges would be applicable from June 21 but we were asked to implement it from June 9,” he said.
Somani also said that fresh stock is yet to arrive from Serum Institute of India while their phase I doses have exhausted.
Meanwhile, 13.36 lakh beneficiaries have taken either of the two or both doses in Nagpur district as on June 9. Of these, 10.52lakh have taken their first dose. In NMC limits, over 5lakh in 45+ age group have taken their first dose.