HYDERABAD: Ambulance rates for inter-state travel will henceforth be double and a patient on a ventilator will have to pay up to Rs 9,000 as the Telangana government on Wednesday announced revised tariffs for Covid-19 patients, even as it asked hospitals to stop experimental treatment and unnecessary investigations.
While the basic charges largely remain unchanged, a minimum of Rs 2,000 for an ambulance with basic life support (Rs 75 per kilometre) and Rs 3,000 for an ambulance with advanced life support (Rs 125 per kilometre) was fixed.
This will hurt the pockets of long-distance patients by at least two to three times more than the current charges, which hover at Rs 12,000- Rs 20,000 for long-distance travel.
Going by the new tariff policy, now, an ambulance with advanced support coming from Adilabad to Hyderabad (300 km) would cost Rs 3,000 basic charges plus Rs 37,500 travel expense.
“Currently a patient coming from Nalgonda might be paying Rs 20,000 on the higher side for an ambulance with advanced life support.
But now, the per kilometre rate will take the cost to Rs 40,000- Rs 50,000, including fumigation charges, driver charges etc which are not mentioned,” said Sai Teja from Feed the Needy NGO, involved in transporting patients during the pandemic.
“The capping should have been made based on distance, instead of kilometre wise rates,” Teja added.
Tariff charges of Rs 4,000 for regular bed, Rs 7,500 for ICU (Intensive Care Unit) care and Rs 9,000 for ICU care with ventilator, have been capped as the upper limit.
“Capped rates for treatment, however, are not applicable to patients subscribing insurance scheme as well as patients being treated under various agreements/ MoUs entered into with the hospitals by sponsored groups or corporate entities,” said one official.
“Interventional procedures (not limited to) central line insertion, chemoport insertion, bronchoscopic procedures, biopsies, ascitic/ pleural tapping etc may be charged at the rack rates as on December 31, 2019.
High-end drugs like immunoglobulins, meropenem, parenteral nutrition, tocilizumab etc to be charged at MRP (maximum retail price),” read the order issued on Wednesday.
The health department also warned hospitals against any experimental treatment.
“All the private hospitals shall follow the treatment guidelines issued from time to time by the government of India/ state government strictly.
The hospitals shall refrain from experimental treatment, unnecessary investigations, repeated HRCTs and inflammatory markers are to be avoided.
Admissions and discharge protocols shall be followed scrupulously.
Non-compliance shall attract action as per the provision of law,” read the order issued by Syed Ali Murtuza Rizvi, health secretary.
The super-speciality hospitals association, however, said there was no clarity right now on whether the rules also apply to corporate hospitals.