Goa caps Covid-19 treatment charges in private hospitals

Amid complaints of steep fees charged by private hospitals for providing Covid-19 treatment, the Goa government on Tuesday ordered a capping of prices for private health facilities.

Under the new capped rate chart for private hospitals, patients availing treatment in a general ward would be charged 12,000 per day for treatment, treatment in twin-shared rooms would cost Rs 15,000 and admission of a Covid-19 patient in a private room would cost Rs 25,000 per day.

Price for utilising ICU facilities has been capped at Rs 25,000 per day.

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“Private hospitals were charging high rates to the tune of up to Rs 25,000 per night. We have decided these capped rates in consultation with the medical professionals and with the private facilities,” Sawant told reporters on Tuesday.

The newly notified capped pricelist includes bed charges, nursing, resident doctor fees, diet, PPE kits for staff and routine medicine, but does not include any special medication or equipment, non-routine procedures or surgeries, etc.

The Chief Minister, who has been in home isolation ever since he tested positive for Covid-19 on September 1, also said that he was keen on donating blood plasma if he qualified for the same, as far as his health parameters were concerned.

“First let me complete 28 days of recovery. But of course, of course, if I am within the parameters I plan on donating plasma. I do have a (blood) pressure problem, but if I am eligible to donate, I will donate,” the Chief Minister said.

Sawant also conceded that the state was witnessing a high level of mortality, with 25 deaths of Covid-19 patients occurring within the last 48 hours, but added that most of the fatalities occurred because of late admission of patients to designated health facilities. The state has a total tally of 25,511 confirmed Covid-19 cases, while 315 persons who tested positive have died in Goa ever since the pandemic broke out.