Private hospital in Hyderabad barred from Covid-19 treatment after complaints of exorbitant charging

The Telangana government has revoked the Covid-19 treatment permission for a Hyderabad hospital found to have flouted the ceilings fixed for billing and charging exorbitant amounts from the patients.

The move was following several complaints against the hospital in Somajiguda, especially one on twitter by Anreddy Radhesh that prompted IT and municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao to appeal to the health minister Eatala Rajender to act on the said hospital.

In a series of tweets last week, Anreddy who lost his mother, father and brother to Covid-19 and himself tested positive alleged that the Deccan Hospital failed in providing proper care, did not even change soiled diapers of his father and disallowed his body out until he paid lakhs of rupees.

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“Deeply anguished on hearing about the tragic loss of your family members Radhesh. Exploitation in these times by private hospitals is deplorable and a shame. Request the health minister to take the strictest action against these irresponsible institutions ASAP,” Rao had tweeted.

On Monday, an order from the director of public health, invoking the provisions of Telangana Allopathic Private Medical Care Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act 2002 and the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, stated the hospital’s Covid-19 treatment permissions are revoked.

Several complaints were received against Ms Deccan Hospital that it is charging exorbitantly, flouting the ceilings fixed with inappropriate and surplus billing, officials said.

“No new Covid-19 patient shall be admitted by the said hospital; and no inconvenience should be caused to already admitted patients and they have to be treated as per ceilings fixed. If it is found that the said hospital is not following these orders, then the government will be compelled to cancel the license issued to the hospital,” the orders said.

From mid-June, the Telangana government allowed COVID-19 tests and treatment in private hospitals while capping the rates. While treatment in ICU is fixed at Rs 7,500 per day without ventilator support and Rs 9,000 with ventilator use, for isolation, one has to pay only Rs 4,000 per day, Rajender had announced.

However, many such Covid-19 hospitals were found to have been operating in blatant defiance of government rules.

Telangana has recorded a total of 67,660 positive cases till Monday, out of which officials say 48,609 have recovered. The state has 551 Covid-19 related deaths.