SURAJ NANDREKAR/ Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The second wave of COVID 19 has hit the State hard and to make matters worse the government hospitals do not have oxygenated beds or Oxygen.
In such situation an average Goan looks at the private hospitals for saving life of his kin as the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has claimed that the COVID19 treatment has been brought under the ambit of Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana (DDSSY).
But sadly, either the hospital is shooing away the patients saying they have received no order from government on the DDSSY empanelment or they give insane bills, which is beyond the patient’s capacity.
One such bill is doing rounds in social media wherein a Margao-based new hospital Imperial Hospital.
As per the Bill circulated of patient, the hospital has just rounded up the bill to Rs 3 lakh for 10-day treatment.
The patient has been charged Rs 5000 for the room per day which comes to Rs 50,000 for 10 days.
Moreover, the Dr Milind Desai charges for 10 visits is Rs 40,000, Dr Anil charges Rs 20,000, RMO charges Rs 50,000 and the nursing charges Rs 50,000.
The medicines, including antibiotics, Inj Zostum, Inj Dexa Magnex, TB Goutmil, Clexane, Xemrropenem, Steroids, Solumedrol, Dexamethasore, Multivitamin, Fabiflu, oxygen and other supportive treatment) have been charged at Rs 65,000.
The blood investigation charges are Rs 8000 and miscellaneous charges are Rs 17,000.
The total bill has been shockingly rounded-up to Rs 3 lakhs.
The patient was admitted on 28/04/2021 and discharged on 07/05/2021.
A Panaji-based doctor, who did not want to be named said this was nothing short of a mass robbery.
“There is no ICU, three doctors treating non-invasive ways for 10 days. Resident Dr fees is 50000, and treating Dr 40000/- Nursing charges 50000/-, charges, what a mass cheating. Overall MISC 17000/-,” the doctor said.
He further added, “It’s a broad day light robbery, it’s a loot. Just have a look at the Bill, their target seems to be Rs. 3 lacs per patient hence they have added Rs. 17000/- miscellaneous charges. People with medical background can find out how much the medicines do actually cost at retail price”.
The doctor says if the patient was serious the hospital would have recommended them to GMC.
“Govt should order for an enquiry about such bills. IT dept should raid the premises of such hospitals and doctors,” he said.
What happened to Capped rates?
The Goa government capped price for Covid-19 treatment in private hospitals to Rs 8,000 per day for treatment in a general ward.
“Considering the sudden surge of Covid-19 cases in the state of Goa and in order to make private services more affordable to the common man during the Covid-19 crisis, government hereby reduces the capped rates prescribed,” says an order issued by the Health Ministry.
Prices for twin sharing rooms have been reduced from Rs 13,000 per day to Rs 10,400 per day, while the charges for treatment in private single rooms have been reduced from Rs 16,000 per day to Rs 12,800 per day.
Treatment in an ICU facility with ventilators have also been slashed from Rs 24,000 per day to Rs 19,200 per day.
The reduced rates do not include services like diagnostic interventions, use of special drugs and equipment, other surgical procedures and extra oxygen flow, the order also states.
But shockingly, there is no cap on the rates of the medical practitioners.
“The hospitals are exploiting these loopholes in the order,” says the doctor said.
