After a series of deliberations, the Haryana government has slashed COVID-19 treatment rates at private hospitals by over 50 per cent, much to the relief of patients.
Issuing an order on Thursday, the Health and Family Welfare department has fixed prices between Rs 8,000 and Rs 18,000, depending on the patient's medical condition and facilities provided by the hospital. The decision came in the wake of numerous complaints and protests wherein patients accused private hospitals in NCR towns like Gurgaon of charging them anything between Rs 50,000 to 80,000 for ICU beds. Taking a stern stance and in accordance with the Home Minister's call for unified COVID-19 management in NCR, Haryana set the rates.
According to the order, the non-NABH accredited hospitals will charge Rs 8000 for isolation beds including supportive systems and oxygen. The ICU beds without ventilator would be charged at Rs 13,000 and with ventilator would cost Rs 15,000. Similarly in NABH accredited hospitals, isolation beds would be charged at Rs 10,000, ICU without ventilator at Rs 15,000 and ICU with ventilator at Rs 18,000. The prices are all inclusive packages that would cover prices of lab investigations, radiological diagnostics, consumables including PPE ,masks etc, doctors' consultation , nursing care, physiotherapy, haemodialysis, incubation ECG, blood transfusion etc. The order clearly states that the package will include support and treatment of co-morbid conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases as majority of COVID-19 patients suffer from these conditions.
The prices, however, will not include procedures like deliveries in pregnant patients and experimental therapies. “We have fixed prices after a lot of deliberations taking into account Niti Aayog recommendations and private hospital prices in Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Telangana. The rates have been put to immediate effect and concerned districts have been asked to ensure compliance,” said Rajeev Arora, director, Haryana health services.