The Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has once again reiterated its directions for private health care institutions to follow rules with regard to Covid-19 treatment and warned of strict action against those violating norms.
There have been complaints of exorbitant bills by some private players who were not cooperating with patients after the state government took over 80 percent of the beds in private hospitals amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
"In addition to an appeal to enlist themselves under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY), private hospitals have also been reminded about the applicability of regular government rates for first 80% beds and thereafter permitted to fix their charges for the remaining 20% beds," informed municipal commissioner Chandrakant Dange.
Moreover, hospitals are also mandated to install visible boards displaying availability status of beds under both categories, along with prescribed rates, decided by the state government, failing which the civic administration have been empowered to initiate punitive action against erring medical institutions for not adhering to rules related to treatment of Covid-19 patients.
In accordance to the provisions that were passed under the Epidemic Diseases Act, the state government has regulated 80 percent usage of bed capacity of private hospitals (excluding beds of PICU, NICU, day care, maintenance and hemodialysis) while capping prices of treatments that can be billed to patients. Hospitals are allowed to charge their own rates in the remaining 20 percent beds. A ceiling has also been imposed on treatment of around 270 procedures or surgeries for non-Covid cases.
