<p>The state government has taken up a costing study of various treatment packages being offered by private hospitals following stiff resistance from them to enrol themselves under various government health insurance schemes. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Most private hospitals have not enrolled themselves under certain schemes as they feel that the amount fixed by the government for treatment, especially for deadly diseases, is very low. Private hospitals feel that the government schemes will dent their profits.<br /><br />The costing study, which is being funded by the World Bank, has been entrusted to an external chartered accountancy agency. <br /><br />Under the study, costing and pricing patterns in 12 hospitals across the state will be analysed. Though 16 hospitals had been identified for the study, four private hospitals refused to participate. The 12 hospitals include, government, private, individually owned hospitals, and also those run by trusts. <br /><br />The aim of the study is to prove to the hospitals that the packages devised by the consultative groups comprising specialists, is on a par with the pricing quoted by hospitals in other states. <br /><br />Though the consultative group comprises specialists from private hospitals, most hospitals, especially the corporate ones, have been maintaining that the amount fixed is very low. The report is expected to be submitted shortly. <br /><br />The state government launched Rajiv Arogya Bhagya (RAB), Jyothi Sanjeevini, Mukhyamantrigala Santwana Harish Scheme (MSHS) and Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana, after the successful implementation of the Vajpayee Arogya Shree (VAS). <br /><br />All the scheme are being implemented by the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust. The VAS caters BPL card holders. the RAB APL card holders and the MSHS road accident victims. <br /><br />On review of performance of hospitals in June this year, it was found that uptake of patients in 28 hospitals across the state, has been less than five patients a year under the RAB scheme.<br /><br />Of the 182 hospitals empanelled under the scheme, eight have not treated any patients under the scheme till date. Ever since its launch in January 2015, only 3,781 patients have availed of the benefit, with the government spending Rs 4.47 crore.<br /><br />The scheme offers tertiary treatment under seven broad specialties - cardiology, neurosurgery, genitourinary surgeries, oncology, polytrauma and burns.<br /><br />Cash payments<br />Health department officials said that since the APL patients make cash payments, private hospitals were not willing to categorise them under the scheme. Also, in most instances, patients don’t approach the hospital with their cards. <br /><br /> The hospitals, without informing them, use the opportunity to treat them as non-scheme patients.<br /><br />Officials said that hospitals were in the habit of collecting money over and above the beneficiary share and investigation charges. The practice was still continuing, as patients do not report the hospitals, or are not aware that they have been overcharged, the officials added.<br /> <br /></p>
<p>The state government has taken up a costing study of various treatment packages being offered by private hospitals following stiff resistance from them to enrol themselves under various government health insurance schemes. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Most private hospitals have not enrolled themselves under certain schemes as they feel that the amount fixed by the government for treatment, especially for deadly diseases, is very low. Private hospitals feel that the government schemes will dent their profits.<br /><br />The costing study, which is being funded by the World Bank, has been entrusted to an external chartered accountancy agency. <br /><br />Under the study, costing and pricing patterns in 12 hospitals across the state will be analysed. Though 16 hospitals had been identified for the study, four private hospitals refused to participate. The 12 hospitals include, government, private, individually owned hospitals, and also those run by trusts. <br /><br />The aim of the study is to prove to the hospitals that the packages devised by the consultative groups comprising specialists, is on a par with the pricing quoted by hospitals in other states. <br /><br />Though the consultative group comprises specialists from private hospitals, most hospitals, especially the corporate ones, have been maintaining that the amount fixed is very low. The report is expected to be submitted shortly. <br /><br />The state government launched Rajiv Arogya Bhagya (RAB), Jyothi Sanjeevini, Mukhyamantrigala Santwana Harish Scheme (MSHS) and Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana, after the successful implementation of the Vajpayee Arogya Shree (VAS). <br /><br />All the scheme are being implemented by the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust. The VAS caters BPL card holders. the RAB APL card holders and the MSHS road accident victims. <br /><br />On review of performance of hospitals in June this year, it was found that uptake of patients in 28 hospitals across the state, has been less than five patients a year under the RAB scheme.<br /><br />Of the 182 hospitals empanelled under the scheme, eight have not treated any patients under the scheme till date. Ever since its launch in January 2015, only 3,781 patients have availed of the benefit, with the government spending Rs 4.47 crore.<br /><br />The scheme offers tertiary treatment under seven broad specialties - cardiology, neurosurgery, genitourinary surgeries, oncology, polytrauma and burns.<br /><br />Cash payments<br />Health department officials said that since the APL patients make cash payments, private hospitals were not willing to categorise them under the scheme. Also, in most instances, patients don’t approach the hospital with their cards. <br /><br /> The hospitals, without informing them, use the opportunity to treat them as non-scheme patients.<br /><br />Officials said that hospitals were in the habit of collecting money over and above the beneficiary share and investigation charges. The practice was still continuing, as patients do not report the hospitals, or are not aware that they have been overcharged, the officials added.<br /> <br /></p>
