Punjab fixes Covid-19 treatment charges

Chandigarh: To check profiteering by private hospitals, the Amarinder Singh government in Punjab, here on Thursday, fixed the Covid-19 treatment rates.

The rates, finalised for private hospitals and medical colleges by the K.K. Talwar Committee, cover isolation beds, ICU treatment and hospitalisation charges per day.

For moderate sickness requiring isolation beds, including supportive care and oxygen, rates have been fixed at Rs 10,000 per day for private medical college and hospitals, Rs 9,000 for NABH accredited hospitals, including private medical colleges, and Rs 8,000 for non-NABH accredited hospitals.

The 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 patients these have been fixed at Rs 18,000, Rs, 16,500 and Rs 15,000, respectively.

All these rates are inclusive of PPE cost, according to an official spokesperson.

To encourage private hospitals to cater to mild sickness cases also, the Talwar panel has fixed per day admission rates for such cases at Rs 6,500, Rs 5,500 and Rs 4,500, respectively.

The decision comes amid complaints received by the state government that private hospitals are charging exorbitantly for Covid-19 treatment.

The Chief Minister, who had also received complaints, had asked the the Talwar panel and the Health and Family Welfare Department to look into the matter and work out the rates after discussions with private hospitals.