Hyderabad: Hospitals that are expected to save lives have mutated into 'cashpitals' ever since the deadly coronavirus has bared its fangs. During this COVID-19 onslaught, it is shocking to witness the competition among private hospitals to cash in on public vulnerability.
In July last year, the Supreme Court had directed the Central government to explore the scope of issuing guidelines under the Disaster Management Act, to ensure that medical treatment for COVID-19 is made accessible to all.
Various state governments issued fee regulations in private hospitals following the intervention from the respective High Courts. In July last year, the High Court of Telangana had directed the state government to take action against the hospitals that failed to abide by the regulatory orders. But nothing has come of those directions.
As the exploitation by private hospitals goes out of control, the Telangana High Court has again directed the state government to issue regulatory orders in consultation with the Telangana Super Specialty Hospitals Association. While the Andhra Pradesh government wanted denial of hospital beds to be taken seriously, the Telangana High Court called for the revival of complaints committees on hospitals.
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Private hospitals are brazenly demanding a caution deposit of Rs 1 lakh before commencing treatment. They charge anywhere between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 20 lakh per patient.
Even the people without the means are opting for private hospital treatment in the belief that better quality treatment, when compared with the treatment at government hospitals, will save their lives. To cash in on this situation, the hospitals have allegedly formed syndicates with the help of middlemen.
They have gained notoriety for inhuman acts like refusal to accept health insurance and other facilities meant for the benefit of the common man and denial of dead bodies to the kinsmen that could not clear the hospital bill, thus unleashing a naked form of profiteering.
Medical service is not a business meant for gaining profits. Stating that affordable treatment is part of the right to health, the Supreme Court had called for controlling the exorbitant fees collected by private hospitals. Hospital management had made it clear earlier that the fee structure decided unilaterally by the state governments are not remunerative for them.
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In this backdrop, the need of the hour is to hold talks with hospital managements to fix a rational fee structure. The High Court of Kerala has lauded the regulatory measures taken by the state government to control private hospital fees. However, the Kerala Private Hospitals Association has raised objections seeking more clarity on fees to be collected on individual rooms, luxurious accommodation, health insurance beneficiaries and patients suffering from other ailments.
While up to Rs 1 lakh per day is being charged for ICU facility in major cities, insurance companies claim they can fund only up to Rs 18,000 per day for the same.
The Centre can organise a meeting of hospital managements and health insurance companies to chalk out a national policy in this regard. Crores of unfortunate beings who need hospital services can find respite only if the hospital management display some humanity.
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