GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has directed the state government to reconsider the rates fixed by it for the treatment of Covid-19 patients in private hospitals, including the rates of single cabins, after hearing a petition filed by the Advocates’ Association of Indigenous Rights of Assamese (AAIRA).
The court passed the order on Thursday after observing the fee cap of private hospitals, fixed by the state government, as being high.
On June 4, the state government in a notification had fixed the rates for general ward, share cabin and ICU with and without ventilator in private hospitals in the state for treating Covid-19 patients.
As per the notification, while the rates for the general ward, share cabin and ICU in a non-super speciality hospital were fixed at Rs 4,000, Rs 5,000, Rs 9,000 and Rs 12,000 (ICU with ventilator) respectively; the rates in a super speciality hospital were fixed at Rs 5,000, Rs 6,500, Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 for the same.
However, the petitioner said the rates fixed by the state government were higher.
“Also, there is no different rate for different cities, towns and districts of Assam, which ought to have been there as keeping the similar rates for small towns will in fact increase the problems of the public.
The hospitals from such places will now have the liberty to demand the fees at the rate provided in the notification, which can be much higher considering the infrastructure and facilities available in such hospitals and this definitely will affect the outskirts and rural people,” said the petitioner.
The petitioner said that despite having a higher per capita income, several other states like Kerala and Maharashtra have kept much lesser rates while capping the fees of private hospital beds.
The petitioner also highlighted the rate for a single cabin was left out in the notification, which appeared to be a deliberate attempt to allow private hospitals to charge exorbitant rates for a single cabin as per their own wish which apparently is not at all in public interest.
Responding to the matter, the high court on Thursday directed the state government to reconsider the rates, including the rates of single cabins.
The court has fixed July 15 as the next date of hearing of the case.