Indian Medical Association urges Maharashtra govt to review notification on Covid-19 hospital fees

The Maharashtra unit of Indian Medical Association (IMA) in its meeting with the State Health Minister, Rajesh Tope had said that there are some serious lacunae in the notification of the Government of Maharashtra regarding the hospital fees to be paid by Covid patients.

IMA (Maharashtra) President, Avinash Bhondwe said in a media statement that the rates mentioned under Mahatma Phule Jan Arogy Yojana scheme as well as the other Covid management are impractical. The rates fixed by the State Government ranging from ₹4,000 to ₹9,000 per day for the Oxygen beds, ICU without Ventilators and ICU with Ventilators are not really enough for the treatment of serious Covid patients.

On Tuesday, the IMA (Maharashtra) members in its meeting with Tope had pointed out that the Government should have decided the rates by discussing the actual costs in all the factors for treating a patient in ICU, with IMA or hospital representatives. But the prices were fixed, taking into account the rates of the Medical Insurance Companies, which were prevailing four years ago, Bhondwe said.

The current rates are unrealistic on account of mounting expenditure for ICU maintenance, oxygen supply, infection control, PPE, Masks and its disposal, plus excessive salary being paid to the employees in the current scenario and stay arrangement during their quarantine, has not been factored in during the fixing of the rates, he added.