Maharashtra Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Bill (CEB) has no provision to regulate treatment rates charged by private hospitals to patients, highlighted Jan Arogya Abhiyan (JAA), a coalition of NGOs and health professionals, on Friday while launching a statewide campaign appealing public to send objections to Joint Legislative Committee (JLC).
The other suggested provision includes, ban withholding of patients or dead bodies over payment issues, establish accessible grievance-redressal system, establish an independent, well staffed regulatory authority, and ensure participation of all stakeholders in the State Council. JAA pointed out that the Bill must include fixed treatment charges for common procedures, different categories of beds, investigations, ICU services and doctors’ consultations; hospitals violating these rates should face penalties, a refund provision, a mandatory estimated bill by hospital detailing the treatment cost to be given to the patient, and the prescribed limit should not exceed estimated limit more than 5–10%. CEB was introduced in state Assembly on July 3, advocating compulsory registration of hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centres transparency in treatment prices, and no deposit mandate for emergency cases. The new bill replaces the 77-years-old Maharashtra Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1949. The analysis of hospital data from five major private hospitals in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur shows that the average treatment charges faced by patients in these hospitals range from ₹24,000 to ₹62,000 per day, according to Arogya Abhiyan representatives.
“This means just one day’s treatment in a large private hospital can cost as much as the average monthly per-capita income of a person in state,” said Abhay Shukla, the public health expert.
