Pune: PMC Issues Notice To 172 Hospitals For Overcharging Covid-19 Treatment
Pune, 4th June 2021: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has resumed the audit process of the bills charged by the private hospitals, after receiving the complaint from people. As of now, PMC has issued notices to 172 private hospitals for overcharging.
The state government has instructed the prices for Covid-19 treatment in private hospitals in three categories, yet the PMC received several complaints about overcharging by the private hospitals. Therefore, the PMC has now started an audit of bills of private hospitals. They have been checking the bills since March 2021. It is seen that some of the hospitals overcharged for the treatment under the pretext of other services. The bill amount was charged between 2 lakh to 8 lakh per person.
PMC’s Assistant Health officer Dr Manisha Naik said,”We received several complaints about overcharging and started the audit. Daily 25 applications were received by the department.”
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“Since last year we have received complaints from patients about a total of 222 hospitals. As of now, notices have been sent to 172 hospitals out of which, 90 cases have been solved. We have returned an additional amount of Rs 20 lakh after auditing 27 bills, and are yet to reach up to 15 people. Several cases do not have any issue,” said Dr. Naik.
“We are checking every Covid-19 bill charged by the private hospitals, and are ensuring that the bills must be charged according to annexure ‘C’ issued by the authorities,” said Dr Ashish Bharti, Head of the Health Department, PMC.
The municipal corporation ordered Sahyadri hospital to return the additional money of Rs 22 lakh to 34 patients who were overcharged at the various branches of the hospital. The hospital did not follow the orders; therefore, PMC sent a license cancellation notice to the hospital. After receiving the notice, the hospital authority agreed to return the money to the patients.
The PMC appointed an audit squad at 30 major hospitals in the city, for an on-the-spot audit of the bills. Along with this PMC has also urged the citizens to inform them about overcharging on the number issued by the corporation is 02025502115.
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