Bengal Govt Looks the Other Way as Private Hospitals Slap COVID-19 Patients With Exorbitant Bills

Kolkata: Layal Bibi, from Tamluk in Purba Medinipur district, had travelled 90 km to Kolkata for treatment after having tested positive for COVID-19. After waiting in an ambulance for hours, during which time she was being denied admission by the city’s Desun Hospital, she died.

Layal Bibi’s family allege that the hospital had demanded Rs 3 lakh in advance to admit her.

“We arranged for Rs 80,000 and requested them to admit the patient. We tried to assure them that we would pay the remaining amount within the next few days. But they demanded the entire amount at once,” her relatives said to regional news channels.

The family later lodged a complaint against the hospital at the nearby Anandapur police station.

Also read: Kolkata: Teen’s Death After 3 Hospitals Refuse Entry Puts Focus on Collapsing Health System

West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC), a regulatory body for all hospitals and laboratories in the state, has registered a suo motu

case against the private hospital. The Commission has summoned hospital authorities to appear before a hearing at their office on August 19.

Previously, the regulatory commission had issued an order barring private hospitals from charging more than 20% of the estimated cost of treatment or Rs 50,000, whichever is less, as advance deposit during admission.

The commission had categorically said that the hospital authority cannot refuse admission or deny treatment over payment and stated that families have to be given 12 hours to arrange for the money. If a family failed to provide the money within the given time, then the hospital could deny admission, the commission had said.

Workers set up an area at a makeshift tent installed at Kolkata’s Geetanjali Stadium, converted into a COVID-19 care centre for patients showing mild symptoms. Photo: PTI

However, the price cap set by the commission, which many have critiqued as already exorbitant, has scarce been adhered to by private hospitals, allege patients and their relatives. The Wire tried to reach out the retired judge Ashim Kumar Banerjee, who is the head of WBCERC, however, his phone was unreachable.

In another incident, Medica Super Speciality Hospital (MSSH) billed a COVID-19 patient Rs 19 lakh for treatment. The patient, Pradip Bhattacharya, had died at the hospital on Monday.

Bhattacharya was a medical doctor and in the aftermath, several doctors’ associations, along with the general public, condemned and criticised the private hospital on social media for overcharging Dr Bhattacharya’s family.

Subhrajit Chatterjee.

Last month, 18-year-old Subhrajit Chatterjee died at the Kolkata Medical College after three hospitals had denied him admission. Subhrajit’s father Biswajit Chatterjee had then told The Wire that sheer negligence of the hospitals and administration had resulted in his son’s death.

The Wire had previously reported that private hospitals in Kolkata had been refusing admission to COVID-19 patients even though the state health department’s portal was saying that beds were available in various city hospitals.

Some hospital receptionists had said over the phone that while beds were available, “Doctors need to assess the patient’s history first. Only after clearance from doctors can we admit the patient.”

Private hospitals’ take

A senior member of non-medical staff at a reputed private hospital in Kolkata said, “Private hospitals are not happy with the government’s decision of capping testing and treatment charges. Most are denying patients admission even though they have vacant beds.”

The West Bengal government has announced repeated warnings to hospitals over non-admittance. The government has also threatened strict action against hospitals which refuse to take in patients. On June 23, the state health department issued an order asking private hospitals and clinics to admit all patients or face strict penal action including suspension of licence. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier said, “Hospitals must not refuse patients, else they will face strict action.”

However, most private hospitals continue to refuse COVID-19 patients or overcharge them and government hospitals are overburdened.

Also read: Mamata Government Under Fire for Hiding Data on COVID-19

Official ‘response’

When The Wire reached out to the state home secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay for comments, he said, “The health secretary will be able to address your question.” Calls to the West Bengal health secretary N.S. Nigam went unanswered.

The Wire reached out to Chandrima Bhattacharya, minister of state for health and family welfare. However, even before the correspondent could finish the question, she said, “I don’t want to comment on this issue, you get in touch with the department.”

Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Dr Santanu Sen, who has been national president of Indian Medical Association, asked The Wire to “call later”. When this correspondent called again after two hours, he disconnected the call.