BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh government on Saturday decided that private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients could charge only 40 per cent more than rates prevalent in the time before the outbreak.
It was also decided that patients being treated at private COVID-19 designated hospitals, which are authorised and in contract with the government, can voluntarily pay their bills.
Such hospitals are currently treating patients free of cost.
After a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to review the coronavirus situation, Minister for Medical Education Minister Vishvas Sarang informed that there was some confusion about bills being raised by private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients.
"It was decided in the meeting that private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients can charge bills on the basis of rates fixed before February this year. They can charge maximum 40 per cent more than the pre-February rates. Say, they were charging Rs 100 in February, then they can charge Rs 140 now," he said.
It was decided that patients can voluntarily pay bills, fully or partially, at designated hospitals which are treating free of cost at the moment.
A target has been set that 3600 oxygen beds and 564 ICU beds would be added for coronavirus treatment till October 31, which will increases such beds to 11,710 and 2,488 respectively, he said.
Sarang said upto 40 per cent of patients, especially those who are asymptomatic, have been kept in home isolation.
The minister further said command control centres, with ambulance and doctor round the clock, were being set up in every district to monitor the health of those in home isolation.
It was also decided that samples of COVID-19 tests will not be collected from homes now on, and people will have to visit fever clinics for such tests, he added.