Private hospitals ordered to return the excess amount within seven days

Aurangabad, Nov 11:

Fourteen private hospitals in the city had levied extra charges on Covid-19 patients. Of these, seven hospitals have refunded the excess amount. However, the remaining hospitals have not repaid the amount. Taking note, the district collector Sunil Chavan has warned of strict action against these hospitals if they do not return the amount within seven days.

Hospitals including Dr Hedgewar hospital, Seth Nandlal Dhoot Hospital, Asian, Lifeline, YSK, Ajanta and Krishna hospitals have been given a show-cause notice for not refunding Rs 37.37 lakh to the patients. These hospitals have been given a timeline of seven days to refund the amount. The collector said that if the hospitals fail to act on the orders, action will be taken against them as per the provisions of Disaster Management Act 2005, Bombay Nursing Home Registration 1949, Bombay Nursing Home Act 2006, as well as the provisions of Maharashtra Government Health Department dated May 21, 2020, and August 31, 2020. Similarly, the registration of the hospital will also be cancelled.

Rs 62.33 lakh charged extra

Hospitals including, Dr Hedgewar, Seth Nandlal Dhoot, Asian, Lifeline, YSK, Ajanta, Krishna, United CIIGMA, MIT, Orion City Care, Apex, We Care, Ekvira and Hyatt hospitals had charged patients an extra amount of Rs 62, 33, 294 in medical bills. On September 25, Chavan issued a show-cause notice to the concerned private hospitals. Accordingly, seven private hospitals returned the extra amount to the concerned patients.