The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has issued an advisory to all the private hospital in Thane who are treating COVID-19 patients to charge as per the TMC rate cards.
The health department has received several complaints from COVID-19 patients about the high rate charged to by these hospitals.
Reportedly, with no cap on the cost of treatment, a few private hospitals in the city, designated as COVID-19 treatment facilities, had fixed ‘high’ rates for treating patients.
Sandeep Malvi, PRO, TMC said, "Commissioner Vijay Singhal has received several complaints of high rates charged for COVID-19 treatment, following which, we have formed a committee that will observe the hospitals charging unnecessarily. All rate cards will by displayed at all private COVID-19 hospitals".
According to civic officials, a committee will be formed that will inquire if any complaints related to bills and shortage of bed. If any hospital is found guilty for such type of complaints, then the hospital management should be ready to face action that will be taken by committee.
TMC official said some private hospitals are charging patients ₹4,000 a day for a general room, including (bed charge, doctor visits, Nursing charges, PPE kits and foods). There will be nearly a 15 percent discount on medicine and surgical equipments than market rates.
In the twin sharing room in the hospital, the charges are ₹ 5000, a day including (bed charge, doctor visits, Nursing charges, PPE kits and foods). There will be nearly a 15 percent discount on medicine and surgical equipments than market rates.
The following are the private hospitals which are now COVID-19 hospital, Vedant (Ghodbunder road), Horizan Prime hospital, (Ghodbunder road), Kaushalya hospital (Panchpakhadi), Bethani hospital (Varta nagar), Thane health care (Naupada), Sapphire hospital (Kalwa) and Kalsekar hospital in Mumbra.
