CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government on Thursday said it has fixed the coronavirus treatment rates for private hospitals in order to check profiteering.
The rates, finalised for private hospitals and medical colleges by the Dr K K Talwar Committee, cover isolation beds, ICU treatment and hospitalisation charges, per day of admission.
For moderate sickness requiring isolation beds, including supportive care and oxygen, the rates per day are fixed at Rs 10,000 for all private medical colleges or NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers) private hospitals with teaching programme, the government said in a statement here.
The rates have been fixed at Rs 9,000 for NABH accredited hospitals (including private medical colleges without PG/DNB Course) and Rs 8,000 for non-NABH accredited hospitals, the statement said.
The per day rates across these categories of hospitals for severe sickness (ICU without need for ventilator) have been capped at Rs 15,000, Rs 14,000 and Rs 13,000, respectively.
For very severe or critical patient, the charges in these categories of hospitals are fixed at Rs 18,000, Rs 16,500 and Rs 15,000 per day, respectively.
All these rates are inclusive of PPE cost, according to the statement.
In order to encourage private hospitals to cater to mild sickness cases also, the Talwar committee has fixed the per day admission rates for such cases at Rs 6,500, Rs 5,500 and Rs 4,500, respectively.
The decision was announced on Thursday after a COVID-19 review video conference meeting chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.
The move comes amid several complaints received by the state government of private hospitals charging exorbitant amount for COVID-19 treatment.
The CM, who had personally also received complaints on this count, had asked the Talwar committee and the state health and family welfare department to look into the matter and work out the rates after discussions with private hospitals.