Private hospitals divided over big note payments

BENGALURU: Private hospitals were divided over accepting `1,000 and `500 notes in payment from patients on Wednesday, the first day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise decision to scrap high-value currencies.

Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday said the `500 and `1,000 notes would continue to be accepted at government hospitals and their pharmacies (with prescription) till November 11. But patients and their families tried to offer the notes in private hospitals too.

Krishnan Akhileswaran, group chief financial officer at Chennaibased Apollo Hospitals, said that a representation has already been made to Union finance minister Arun Jaitley and health minister JP Nadda to allow private hospitals to accept the two currencies for the next three days at least.

He said that more than half of the payments in private hospitals and attached pharmacies were made by cash.

The representation to the government also said that 82 per cent of out-patient visits, 58% of in-patient expenditure and 40% of all births happen in private hospitals.

The Manipal group was accepting cash for now, but with identify proof. “Banks are closed today (Wednesday). (So) we are accepting money with ID proof and signature and will deposit (cash) with our bank tomorrow (Thursday). If the bank rejects it, then the patients have to come back and pay,” said Ranjan R Pai, managing director of Manipal Education and Medical Group.