Maharashtra: Small and medium hospitals raise concerns over state notification on restriction of charges

The state government declared to take over 80 per cent of the hospital beds, as per a notification on May 22. The government has also come out with standard rates for some important surgeries and medical procedures, and the rates are applicable till July 31.

Small and medium hospitals have raised several concerns about the Maharashtra government’s notification on restriction on hospital charges, and sought clarifications.

The state government declared to take over 80 per cent of the hospital beds, as per a notification on May 22. The government has also come out with standard rates for some important surgeries and medical procedures, and the rates are applicable till July 31.

The state has prohibited hospitals that have an agreement with the General Insurance Public Sector Association (GIPSA ) from charging more than the rates fixed by the state to treat Covid-19 patients. For hospitals which do not fall under the purview of the GIPSA – Preferred Providers Network- the state has said they were not allowed to charge more than what was prescribed by the government for the cost of beds.

In a letter to Divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar, Dr Sanjay Patil, president of the Indian Medical Association’s Pune sub chapter of the Hospital Board of India, said in the pre-covid phase, because of rates not being agreeable, their stand has been consistently against Preferred Provider Network (PPN). “The rates quoted in PPN are extremely discriminatory as there are massive differences in rates for different cities, and also different rates for different hospitals in the same city,” he explained.

According to Dr Aarti Nimkar, chairperson of Pune unit of IMA, there are many additional costs incurred by the hospitals during the pandemic, including loss in manpower in case staff get infected, health insurance costs, extra manpower needed for proper sanitation of facility, and cost of procuring good-quality PPE for entire work force, among others.

The rules applicable to charitable hospitals have been made applicable to non-charitable hospitals, without passing on benefits received by them to non-charitable hospitals, she pointed out. However, as per the notification, rates for PPN differ from city to city, which creates unnecessary discrimination against those beneficiaries living in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. The IMA and Hospital Board of India – Pune sub chapter members have also sought a cap on mediclaim insurance premiums.

State extends date of renewal of license for pvt hospitals

In a Government Resolution on May 26, Principal Secretary of Public Health, Maharashtra, Dr Pradeep Vyas, has extended the duration for renewal of licences for hospitals till July 31.

All the private hospitals, nursing homes, and day care centres in the state have to be registered under the Bombay Nursing Home Act 1949. The renewal of the registration is mandatory every year before March 31 and if a hospital fails to renew in time, it can be prevented from taking up medical work.

Due to the pandemic and subsequent lockdown, almost all hospitals in Maharashtra are working without renewing their registrations, said Dr Avinash Bhondwe, president of IMA Maharashtra.