Govt forms panels to address issues of empanelled hospitals

The state government has formed seven committees for specialities under the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust to look into issues faced by empanelled privated hospitals.

A committee each has been formed for oncology, neurology, burns, poly trauma, cardiology, nephrology and pediatrics. These committees would comprise representatives from both private and government hospitals.

The decision to set up these panels comes after several empanelled private hospitals stopped treating patients under various state government schemes. They had complained that the government was not clearing bills and there was an outstanding of Rs 120 crore.

One of the primary demands that the Federation of Healthcare Associations of Karnataka had put forth was the formation of a committee that would look into timely reimbursement of patient bills, besides revision of package rates.

Hospitals satisfied

In a letter to the state government, hospitals have expressed satisfaction over the formation of these committees.

As many as 19 empanelled private hospitals were suspended from the list after they refused to admit new patients under the state government schemes as their pending bills were not cleared.

In the letter, the hospitals have mentioned that if the government revokes the suspension, they would start considering patients.