50% beds will be taken over by govt: Eatala warns pvt hospitals against overcharging

Hyderabad: Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender warned stern action against overcharging for COVID treatment by private hospitals in the state.

Following bulk of complaints received against private hospitals, The minister held a review meeting with top officials of the health department on 10th of August.

According to the officials more than 1000 complaints were received by the health department. Out of the total a majority were about excess billing.

Many hospitals did not admit patients if they dint make an advance payment. Also certain hospitals were refusing to admit patients those having insurance over. While few neglected patients despite paying the bills on weekly basis. While few complaints were of hospitals holding back the bodies due to pending bills.

'There are several complaints about money being collected in the name of multiple tests. Certain Hospitals after getting permission for RAT or RT-PCR, they were conducting CT Scan, X-Ray, Blood tests and more. Many have complained that tests such as IL-6 are being performed unnecessarily. After receiving all these complaints, The government has issued a show-cause notice to each hospital and asked for explanations, said the officials.

Health Minister Eatala Rajendra informed that a committee has been set up to look into these issues immediately and orders have been issued to investigate these explanations and take strict action against the hospitals.”

Health Minister Eatala Rajender asked the private Hospital to change its approach. The minister also directed the authorities to take over 50 per cent of the beds in hospitals along with the ICUs and prepare plans to carry out COVID treatments as per the government norms.

The central team has appreciated the measures being taken by the state government. The minister also said that “the central team had directed the state government to take more drastic measures under the Epidemic Disease Act.’