In Corona days, Private Hospitals are Caught Between two fires : Adv. ROHiT Erande. ©

In Corona days,  Private Hospitals are  Caught Between two fires :

 Adv. ROHiT Erande. ©

The Hospital and issues of Bills, are nothing new. Patients in general think that they have been charged exorbitantly. But this issue attained more importance in CORONA as a petition was filed in Hon. Gujrath High Court against exorbitant billing of Hospitals. 

A Division bench of Hon.J.B. Pardiwala and Hon. Ilesh Vora JJ observed that, "The Covid-19 outbreak is a “critical war-like” situation and not a time to do business to earn profit,"

The Court further observed that “If the private hospitals do not budge and are determined to demand an exorbitant amount, then this Court will have to take appropriate legal action against such hospitals and the consequences may be quite bitter, including cancellation of license. We request the learned Advocate General to immediately look into this issue and see to it that the same is resolved at the earliest,”

The Corona has tested the Healthcare system in India to its limits. The Govt. Hospitals are already overburdened, so later on Govt. allowed and rather we may say, that it made compulsory for private hospitals to admit Covid-19 patients. But now as the issues of excessive billing have started coming up, people have started approaching the Highest Courts.

Recently a petition has been filed in  Hon. Apex Court thereby demanding “free treatment for Corona in those Hospitals, whose land  was given free of cost or at a very low rate, by Govt”. The petition is now awaiting for Central government’s reply. 

Other side of the Coin :

The no. of people opting for Private Hospitals over Public Hospitals is certainly more and the reason is obvious, the treatment. The private Hospitals are already in financial crisis as almost all elective surgeries, Operations have been postponed due to COVID-19 and it has created financial problems. The overheads for maintaining a hospital like security, wages of employees, electricity, property taxes etc. have not stopped. Plus in medical negligcne cases, Hopstial is held vicarilosly liable for the negligence of its Doctors and Hospitals have to pay the compensation amount.  Now many private hospitals are requesting Govt that they do not mind providing free or low cost treatment for COVID-19 patients provided they get certain discounts in electricity bills, property taxes, subsidy for purchasing new machinery etc. But that seems to be rarely possible. 

Most importantly, the actual charges of Doctors are very less if the total bill is seen, but the blame of “looting” people comes on Doctors. 

In some Cities, the Govt. has asked private hospitals to reserve 80% of their bed-strength for COVID-19 patients else face the action. The reality is not all the small hospitals are having facilities to treat Corona Hospitals. 

At some places Insurance Companies are asking to  provide the services as per their rates. Else they are not providing cash less facilities and the claims also may be refused and ultimately who is the  sufferer ? The Common man ?

So these small private hospitals are caught between two fires. If this situation is contined and private hospitals are forced to shut down, we cannot even imagine what will happen. 

The Doctors and staff are regarded as Corona-Warriors. But in return they faced violence, various notifications from Govt., in some cases Doctors were not allowed to enter their own house or clinic in the Society !!

  Thankfully due to lockdown, the death rate and corona affected patients rate is very low as compared to other countries. But the other irony is for last so many years, where other countries are spending 10-15% of their GDP on health sector, in India it is only 2-4%. The Corona has given the lesson for life to everyone. We all have come to our basics. Similarly for Government, having good hospitals, robust healthcare system has no option in coming era. 

Thanks and regards,

Adv. Rohit Erande

Pune.