BENGALURU: After the state government capped the rates for treatment at private hospitals, the Federation of Healthcare Associations Karnataka (FHAK) on Saturday appealed to the government to revise the prices for patients coming directly to their hospitals.
The government has divided the prices into two categories -- one, for patients referred by public health facilities and the other for those who approach private hospitals directly. FHAK members said that they have accepted the prices suggested for patients referred by public health facilities or those under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. But they are not happy with the rates for cash patients.
Dr Nagendra Swamy, Principal Coordinator, FHAK, said, “The price we listed and gave to the government earlier is what we have sought again for cash patients. We have agreed to treat the scheme patients with their prices. But for cash patients, the prices are extremely low. We had set a nominal price.” For cash patients, FHAK had sought Rs 15,000 for general ward, Rs 20,000 for ward with oxygen, Rs 25,000 for isolation ICU and Rs 35,000 for isolation ICU with ventilator.
Dr Swamy said, “Especially for ICU patients, the government has fixed Rs 15,000 without ventilator and Rs 25,000 with ventilator. It is highly difficult to manage with these prices. There is one doctor and one nurse for each patient. Further, we require high-end life-saving medicines which can come up to Rs 10,000 per day. All of this needs to be considered.” He said, “The government has asked us to reserve 50% of beds in general wards, including single-bed rooms. But even for single-bed rooms, for which rates are higher, we are paid only the price of general wards. We have asked the government to look into this too.”