The Maharashtra government may consider extending its scheme to cap private hospital costs for Covid and non-Covid treatment for three more months, according to reports.

The State government is mulling extending its plan to cap costs for private hospitals till November-end, Times of India reported.

The Maharashtra government in May had announced three slabs on per day charges for treatment of Covid-19 patients in private and charitable hospitals. It had also regulated rates and taken control of 80 per cent of the operational bed capacity in these hospitals. The scheme expires on August 31.

The State government may extend this plan due to a surge in Covid-19 infections leading to bed shortages in government hospitals.

Hospitals in Mumbai and Pune especially are facing difficulties in allotment of beds as per the report. Mumbai has the highest number of cases in the State.

State Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Friday said that hospitals in Pune too are facing a similar situation as less than 18 per cent of the treatment is being carried out by the private sector, as per the report. Capping the price will help in the management of treatment.

Private hospitals, however, had raised concerns regarding the price cap, citing rising input costs, including that of equipment, PPE costs, and masks as per previous reports.

Maharashtra reported 9431 new cases on Monday raising the tally to 3,75,799. Total active patients in the State are 148601, Tope said.

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