Covid care in pvt hospitals may get significantly cheaper: Panel
HOME MINISTRY Committee suggests capping fee for isolation bed at ₹8-10k, down from ₹24-25k
nNEW DELHI: A committee formed by Union home minister Amit Shah has recommended slashing the fees Delhi’s private hospitals charge Covid-19 patients by more than half, a government spokesperson said on Friday, in a move that comes in the backdrop of complaints over exorbitant treatment costs in such health facilities at a time fresh infections are rising steadily.
The panel, headed by NITI Aayog member VK Paul, recommended to all hospitals a price range of ₹8,000-10,000 a day for an isolation bed, ₹13,000-15,000 a day for a bed at an intensive care unit (ICU), and ₹15,000-18,000 a day for an ICU bed with ventilator, according to home ministry spokesperson Nitin Wakankar. These charges will include the cost of personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical staff.
At present, the fee for an isolation bed is ₹24,000-25,000 a day. For an ICU bed, it is ₹34,000-43,000 a day while an ICU bed with ventilator costs ₹44,000-54,000 a day, Wakankar said. These do not include PPE charges.
Treatment costs at private hospitals are not regulated currently, and the price range mentioned by the government is indicative of how much facilities across the city charge patients.
“The Delhi government has not received the recommendations of the committee on this yet. As soon as we get it, we will examine it and issue further directions,” an official statement of the Delhi government said. Representatives of a section of private hospitals said capping prices for hospital beds will compromise the quality of care.
Shah made the announcement on forming the high-powered committee on Sunday with an aim to fix the rates of isolation beds, ICUS and testing kits in the national capital.
He held two meetings with the Delhi government and civic bodies on that day, and also asked private hospitals to earmark 60% of the beds allotted for Covid-19 patients at a cheaper rate. The panel headed was tasked with ensuring the reservation of 60% beds, and fix rates for testing and treatment.
A spokesperson said the Delhi government did not receive any information from the Centre on reserving beds at private hospitals.
Earlier, the committee recommended the rates for reverse
BEFORE transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests — the most credible for Covid-19 patients so far — be capped at ₹2,400, a decision accepted by the Delhi government.
A senior Delhi government official said the capping of rates in private hospitals recommended by panel will be reviewed by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). Lieutenant governor Anil Baijal is the chairperson of DDMA and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal its vice-chairman.
“The recommendations will have to be tabled before DDMA, like it was done for the Covid testing price revision decision on Thursday. The rates will be applicable in Delhi only after DDMA approves them. Following the DDMA’S approval, an order will have to be issued by the state health department notifying the revised charges for Covid treatment in private hospitals. This process can take place in one day,” the official said on the condition of anonymity.
Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAS) welcomed the panel’s recommendations. Atul Goyal, the president of United Residents Joint Action (URJA), which is an umbrella body of 2,500 RWAS, said capping the prices in private hospitals will help patients and their families.
“URJA has been demanding central and the state governments to reduce the prices of treatment or at least put a maximum limit to what private hospitals can charge,” he said.
BS Vohra, the president of East Delhi RWA Federation, another umbrella body of around 100 RWAS, said: “If these charges are recommended for treatment at big hospitals such as Max and Fortis, the rates at the local private hospitals must be even lower as they can’t offer the same standards.”
Delhi recorded 3,137 cases on Friday, ending the day with 53,116 infections (27,512 of them
(Excluding PPE cost)
active) and 2,035 deaths. From June 8-14, the city has registered 12,246 cases. This week so far (June 15-19), it has recorded 11,934.
Detailing steps taken by authorities for disease control in Delhi, the home ministry also said, as Shah discussed with state authorities on Sunday, a door-to-door survey has been completed in 242 containment zones in Delhi covering a total of 230,000 people.
The ministry said with the help of quick-result antigen methodology, which was launched on Thursday, a total of 7,040 people in containment zones were tested in 193 centres on the first day. “Testing will continue with increased number in coming days,” Wakankar said.
The government added that testing was doubled in the national capital in line with the directions given by Shah. “A total of 27,263 testing samples have been collected in Delhi from June 15-17 against the daily collection which varied between 4,000 and 4,500 earlier,” the spokesperson said.
After meeting Kejriwal on Sunday, Shah announced testing will be doubled in the next two days, and trebled after six days.
According to the Delhi government’s submission in the high court before Shah’s meetings, the combined daily testing capacity of 40 labs — 17 public and 23 private — was 8,600 per day. However, from June 8-14 the city conducted just 5,525 tests per day. As on June 18, Delhi’s per million testing figure stands at 16,215, more than 4,821 times the national average of 3.4.
A senior home ministry official, who did not want to be named, said Shah was monitoring the situation in Delhi and may call more review meetings if things take a turn for the worse. “For now, things have started looking like they are getting back on track (in terms of testing),” said this official.
(Including PPE)