(Image source from: thefederal.com)

The Haryana Government has formed a committee on Monday and decided to cap COVID-19 treatment costs at private hospitals for Rs. 8000 to 18000 per day.

The health department of Haryana took the decision on Friday to fix rates for treatment for COVID-19 to be between Rs.8000 and Rs. 18000 for a single day treatment. This move by the government will reduce the rates by 64%. They came up with the move after public started criticizing the government for high costs for treating the virus.

This new capped package rates will include laboratory investigation, diagnostic procedures and radiological investigation. Moreover, medicines, drugs, PPE kits and masks are also covered under the package.

It also incorporates doctor consultation, chest-tube, nursing care, physiotherapy, and cardio diversion and incubation facilities.

The rates will be applicable to children who are infected with the COVID-19 infection.

However, the government has not made it clear if charges for high-end rooms or deluxe-rooms in private hospitals will be covered under the scheme.

Pregnant woman having c-section or normal delivery and experimental therapies such as Ramdesivir and neo-natal care are excluded from the benefits of the package introduced by Haryana.

As per the written order issued by the Haryana government, day rates for hospitals accredited by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Health Providers (NABH) are capped for Rs.10000 for isolation beds, Rs.15000 for intensive care and Rs.18000 for ICU with ventilator support.

Similarly, non-NABH hospitals would charge Rs.8000 for isolation beds, Rs.13000 for ICU and Rs.15000 for ICU with ventilator.

“The disparity in charges for various hospitals is hampering is hampering access for inpatient hospital care”, said the Director of Health Services on the decision to cap rates for treatment.

Some of the major hospitals in Haryana are charging Rs.20000 for general beds, Rs.40,000 for ICU and Rs.50000 to Rs.80000 for ICU with ventilator support  which has caused impatience among residents of the State.

Delhi government has also capped the COVID-19 treatment costs earlier this week following the guidelines issued by Dr. V K Paul committee.

The Haryana government asserted that no hospital or medical care centre would charge more than the capped rates by the government.

The new rates would be applicable to all COVID-19 beds of a private hospital which are about 60% of the total beds.

The state government employees, pensioners and other dependents can avail the treatment facilities under government’s healthcare reimbursement policies.

As per the rates of Ayushman Bharat scheme, the cost of an isolation bed for a day in any hospital is Rs.2000 to Rs.5000. The bills will be reimbursed only after careful verification by chief medical officer and a nodal officer.

By Gayatri Yellayi