The nexus between doctors and diagnostic centres continue unabated in Delhi where patients are duped and overcharged thousands of rupees for laboratory tests, according to stings done by a TV channel. Despite promising action 10 months ago in the Parliament on the issue, the central government has failed to take any “formidable action”. The channel said that it has submitted all the evidences and proofs to the PMO, Ministry of Health and MCI.
TV channel News Nation had aired an expose in July 2014 ‘Operation Jonk’ covering nine medical labs, which showed how patients land up paying Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000 for Plane MRI test in private diagnostic centres in Delhi. This test actually costs between Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000. The amount thus overcharged went directly as commission to the doctors prescribing such tests. Doctors get cuts up to 50 per cent on each and every medical tests, be it blood tests, X–Ray, CT Scan, Angiography and even Ultra Sound. Reacting to this, then Union health minister Harshavardhan had in the Parliament that appropriate action would be taken in this matter, the channel said.
The channel this month again aired a sting – ‘Operation Jonk 2’ covering six laboratories and found that “diagnostic centres pay a hefty commission of 50 % to the doctors, who referred patients for MRI, 40 per cent who sent patients for CT scan, and 20-40 % commission was paid for blood tests.