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Bengal

'No pvt hosp can charge more than set rates...'

No pvt hosp can charge more than set rates...
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Kolkata: State health department has issued an advisory to private hospitals in the state on Tuesday restricting them to apply 'unspecified' packages for the treatment of patients under Swasthya Sathi scheme.

No private health establishments will be allowed to charge out of the packages specified by the government.

In case of treatment related to accidental and surgical patients 'unspecified' packages may be allowed with a ceiling of medicine and diagnostic charges of Rs 5,000 in addition to the coast applicable against days of hospitalization as per the approved rate for initial treatment, says the advisory.

The decision has been taken after the state government found that many private hospitals are charging out of the specified government packages.

"It has been noticed that despite large number of packages being available, many healthcare providers are treating patients under the category 'unspecified package' for medical management cases and for certain surgical cases which may be blocked under specified packages," reads the advisory issued by Swasthya Sathi Samiti under the state health department. '

The advisory also mentioned that the private hospitals should have to indulge in the use of generic medicines.

For diagnostic tests, rates prescribed by the health department under the Swasthya Sathi scheme or rates available at the Fair Price diagnostic centers may be taken into consideration. In case of medicines and implants, the private health service providers may consider the rates specified by the state health department or CMS approved rates. The advisory has been issued for providing maximum benefits to the beneficiaries and proper utilization of the scheme.

In another development, the health department has also issued advisory to the government hospitals making it mandatory for the patients to produce Swsathya Sathi card or Bengal government health scheme ID, Central government Health Scheme ID or ESIC card while getting admission in various inpatient departments.

If a patient has no such cards he/she will be able to apply for a Swasthya Sathi card with the designated department which will be opened in each government hospitals to handle such cases.

"...Sathi/WBHS/CGHS/ESI card or any other government issued health ID proof prior to admission in a government hospital. This has to be captured in the Web application available in the Swasthya Sathi portal," reads the advisory.

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