Paras, Alchemist put on notice for overcharging

Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 1

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The Panchkula Deputy Commissioner has issued show-cause notices to Paras Hospital, Sector 23, and Alchemist Hospital, Sector 21, for overcharging Covid patients in violation of the Haryana Government guidelines and has asked these to submit their replies within seven days.

Alchemist Hospital refutes allegation

“We strongly refute any such allegation against us. We have not received any complaint and in the absence of a complaint, we are not in a position to present our reply, said a Alchemist Hosptial spokesperson.

After the district administration received several complaints regarding overcharging by private hospitals, a committee was constituted to look into the bills. Several patients approached Speaker Gian Chand Gupta, who is the local MLA.

Cooperating with panel: Paras Hospital

“We are extending our best possible support to the committee in its investigation. We are committed to providing the best healthcare facilities to the community,” said the Paras Hospital management.

Gupta even wrote to the Chief Minister and the Health Minister in this regard. Meanwhile, after going through the bills and submission of reports by the district-level inquiry committee, the show-cause notices were issued on May 31.

5 notices issued: DC

Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Kumar Ahuja said in all, five notices were issued in five cases.

In one of the cases, Paras Hospital issued a bill, dated April 25, to Man Singh, a Covid patient, for Rs4.99 lakh. The show-cause notice pointed out that of the total billing of Rs4.99 lakh, the patient was administered intravenous drug immunoglobulin treatment 14 times during the period of admittance at Rs32,302.20 per dose, totalling Rs4.2 lakh, which was Rs16,152.20 higher than the market rate per dose.

“Therefore, it can categorically be said that the hospital has overcharged 50 per cent excess as compared to the market rate i.e Rs16,152.20 x14 times = Rs2,26,130.80 while administering the drug in the patient bill summary,” said the notice.

The same hospital issued a bill, dated May 8, to Vijay Kumar Goel, a Covid patient. In his case, the provisional bill amounted to Rs19.51 lakh, of which Rs12.39 lakh was received, while Rs7.12 lakh was outstanding. The total bill, as per the Haryana Government instructions, would have been Rs5.68 lakh, said the notice. “However, in the instant case, the patient is covered under the scheme of the instructions, being a non-insurance case and has been charged on the higher side of the legitimate bill amount,” added the show-cause notice.

Paras Hospital issued a bill to Suresh Kumar Sud for Rs2.22 lakh, while the total billing as per the government instructions should have been Rs81,620.

The show-cause notice said the patient was charged in excess by Rs1.40 lakh, which was 171.67 per cent extra than the legitimate bill. In the case of Covid patient Milan Sharma, the show-cause notice pointed out that the bill amount issued by Alchemist Hospital was Rs3.63 lakh. However, had the patient been covered under the Haryana Government instructions, only Rs2.70 lakh would have been charged.

It added that the patient was charged Rs92,403 more, which was 34 per cent extra than the legitimate bill.