Govt tells pvt hospitals to inform patients about free care for accident victims

NEWDELHI: The Delhi government has directed all private hospitals to prominently display boards within its premises to inform that they offer free treatment to medico-legal victims of road accidents, acid attack and burn injuries. The treatment cost will be reimbursed by the government later.

The government’s “Farishte Dilli Ke” scheme was launched in February 2018.

The fresh directive issued by the health department of Delhi government on Wednesday aims at ensuring the information of this scheme reached the beneficiaries. The boards need to be placed at least at three prominent locations.

“The locations will be outside the entrance (visible from the roadside), the entry point of casualty and emergency ward and reception or any other prominent public location,” the Delhi government directive reads.

The hospitals have been given two weeks time to comply with the directive.

Refusal of treatment to any eligible patient by a hospital will be a punishable offence and the Delhi government may even suspend the hospital registration certificate on complaint against the defaulting hospital.

The cashless treatment is available for anyone who meets with an accident in Delhi, provided they are brought or referred or transferred to a private hospital within 72 hours of the incident, irrespective of the fact that such patient was earlier undergoing treatment in a government or private hospital.

Also, if an eligible patient is undergoing treatment in a private hospital either on a cash basis or through medical insurance, and has exhausted his resources or insurance, such a patient shall be eligible for further treatment on a cashless

basis. However, further treatment will be done in the lowest economy category at the hospital concerned, and earlier payments will not be reimbursed.

Cost for follow-up treatment will not be borne under the scheme. The government will also reimburse the cost of transportation of eligible patients, especially if they are referred to another hospital, at the rate of ₹1000 for first 10km thereafter ₹100 per additional km when the government-run CATS ambulance is not available.

To date, at least 3000 medicolegal victims of road accident, acid attack and thermal burns have availed the scheme in private hospitals.