HYDERABAD: Mincing no words, Telangana Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (THANA) president Dr Kishan Rao said that the new GO on price capping was no different from the old GO issued last year and would not benefit patients. Stating that a lack of revision of prices would leave the common man to suffer, he said that the rates mentioned in GO 248 were unviable.
“The GO states we must charge only Rs 9,000 for an ICU with a ventilator, whereas when the government had consulted us last month, we checked with various stakeholders and arrived at the rate of Rs 60,000 per day. We were open to negotiations but no further deliberation was done and these unrealistic rates have been set which no hospital can follow and survive on,” said Dr Kishan.
THANA had given a proposed price list last month, which started at Rs 10,000 for General Ward and went up to Rs 60,000 for ICU bed with ventilator. “The officials very well know that oxygen became a scarce commodity during Covid-19 and the prices during the second wave were nearly four times the normal rates,” he asked. THANA will hold a meeting with nearly 3,500 stakeholder partners and decide on the future course of action.
“We are going to consult our partners in the districts on Thursday and decide. Had the rates been consulted with hospitals, then we as an association would have been able to manage any overpricing related issues.However, with these incredibly low rates it would be difficult for people and hospitals,” he added.