<p>The requisitioning of hospitals for sending government patients to private hospitals will be done by the BBMP commissioner and deputy commissioners in the districts. </p>.<p>Public health experts say this clear distinction between patients who are referred by public authorities and those who are not could get very messy. </p>.<p>The package rate ceilings for private patients are for general wards and multi-sharing wards. An additional 10% may be charged for twin-sharing wards and 25% more for single rooms. There will be no ceiling for suites. </p>.<p>With respect to unforeseen complications, surgeries, other comorbid conditions, and pregnancy of Covid-19 patients, additional packages under Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka will apply. All Covid-19 patients including those belonging to BPL (below poverty line) and APL (above poverty line) categories, migrant labourers, and interstate returnees, not possessing public distribution system (PDS) cards shall be considered eligible in view of the unprecedented pandemic situation.</p>.<p>Malini Aisola, co-convener, All India Drug Action Network, who has been closely following the treatment package rates in various states including prices fixed in Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal told DH, "Karnataka excludes insurance patients from the ceiling and that is a big chunk. Treatment for these patients will be chargeable as per the hospital’s schedule of charges. Will patients be allowed to avail of the fixed rates if costs exceed insurance coverage?"</p>.<p>"The distinction between patients who are referred by public authorities and those who are not is arbitrary and could get very messy. The many classification of patients and other aspects such as exclusions for co-morbidities which need to be charged as per AB-ArK rates could also pose challenges for implementation and enforcement," she added.</p>.<p>Manjunath B, Director of Medical Management in Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust which is the nodal agency for settlement of claims according to Tuesday's notification, maintained that there was no confusion. "If beds are not available in dedicated Covid hospitals such as Victoria, Bowring and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD), the BBMP can notify a private hospital where patients will be shifted, like on Sunday, when patients were shifted to MS Ramaiah hospital," he said.</p>.<p>All the 440 beds in Victoria Hospital's, 104 in RGICD and 155 in Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital are full. On Sunday, M S Ramaiah hospital received 47 Covid-19 patients referred by the government. It has 100 beds reserved for Covid-19. </p>
<p>The requisitioning of hospitals for sending government patients to private hospitals will be done by the BBMP commissioner and deputy commissioners in the districts. </p>.<p>Public health experts say this clear distinction between patients who are referred by public authorities and those who are not could get very messy. </p>.<p>The package rate ceilings for private patients are for general wards and multi-sharing wards. An additional 10% may be charged for twin-sharing wards and 25% more for single rooms. There will be no ceiling for suites. </p>.<p>With respect to unforeseen complications, surgeries, other comorbid conditions, and pregnancy of Covid-19 patients, additional packages under Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka will apply. All Covid-19 patients including those belonging to BPL (below poverty line) and APL (above poverty line) categories, migrant labourers, and interstate returnees, not possessing public distribution system (PDS) cards shall be considered eligible in view of the unprecedented pandemic situation.</p>.<p>Malini Aisola, co-convener, All India Drug Action Network, who has been closely following the treatment package rates in various states including prices fixed in Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal told DH, "Karnataka excludes insurance patients from the ceiling and that is a big chunk. Treatment for these patients will be chargeable as per the hospital’s schedule of charges. Will patients be allowed to avail of the fixed rates if costs exceed insurance coverage?"</p>.<p>"The distinction between patients who are referred by public authorities and those who are not is arbitrary and could get very messy. The many classification of patients and other aspects such as exclusions for co-morbidities which need to be charged as per AB-ArK rates could also pose challenges for implementation and enforcement," she added.</p>.<p>Manjunath B, Director of Medical Management in Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust which is the nodal agency for settlement of claims according to Tuesday's notification, maintained that there was no confusion. "If beds are not available in dedicated Covid hospitals such as Victoria, Bowring and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD), the BBMP can notify a private hospital where patients will be shifted, like on Sunday, when patients were shifted to MS Ramaiah hospital," he said.</p>.<p>All the 440 beds in Victoria Hospital's, 104 in RGICD and 155 in Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital are full. On Sunday, M S Ramaiah hospital received 47 Covid-19 patients referred by the government. It has 100 beds reserved for Covid-19. </p>
