Karnataka government yet to foot Rs 19.18 crore Covid-19 bills

Since June 23, 6,485 bills have been raised by private hospitals across the state who have treated the government quota of Covid-19 patients.

To date, the government has paid only 459 Covid-19 bills for Rs 1.3 crore. It is yet to foot 4,875 bills worth Rs 19.18 crore. The starting price of treating a Covid-19 patient in a general ward per day is Rs 5,200 as per the rate fixed by the government.

In the notification issued by the state government dated June 23, it was mandated to reserve 50 percent of the beds in private hospitals to treat Covid-19 patients referred by public health authorities. Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said, "50 hospitals in Bengaluru have submitted bills. Total claims submitted in the state are 6,485. Paid claims are 459 for Rs. 1.3 crores. 4,875 claims are under process for Rs. 19.18 crores."

For treating a Covid-19 patient for ten days, it would cost at least Rs 52,000. For a week, it would cost at least Rs. 36,400 per patient. On Thursday, in a meeting with Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust (SAST), the government agency entrusted with paying the hospitals, private hospitals raised the issue of payment.

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Dr. Ravindra Ramaiah from Suguna Hospital and President, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA), said, "Suguna Hospital has raised 34 bills worth Rs 16 lakh with SAST. The hospital currently has 18 patients and so far we have got 56 government Covid-19 patients' referrals. The majority of the patients were in the Rs. 7,000 bracket, the price fixed for high dependency units. The bill of one ICU patient who died was also raised. Some of them got discharged in three days or four days."

"Till 23 June, there were no referrals from the government. The referrals started in mid-July. The discharges have happened towards the end of July. Within 12 hours, the bills are supposed to be uploaded and they promised to pay us within three days. The bills have landed with SAST in the last week of July," said Ramaiah. Dr. HM Prasanna of Pristine Hospital told DH that the hospital had raised bills worth Rs. 2.5 lakh for four discharged patients that is yet to be paid by SAST.