The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission on Monday asked Belle Vue Clinic and Ruby General Hospital to refund to the families of two persons treated by them the amounts not covered by the state and central government health schemes.
The commission also asked Horizon Life Line Multispeciality Hospital in Entally to refund Rs 2.5 lakh to one person and Rs 1.34 lakh to another. The hospital overcharged the two, said retired judge Ashim Banerjee, the commission’s chairperson.
Glocal Hospital in Midnapore was asked to pay Rs 2 lakh as compensation to a patient’s family.
The family of a sub-inspector of the state police complained to the commission that Belle Vue Clinic refused to offer cashless admission to the cop, though he had a medical insurance cover under the state government health scheme, which provides for cashless admission.
“During the hearing, Belle Vue Clinic said it was difficult for them to admit the patient under cashless facility since the policeman was not diagnosed with any disease and was not even suggested hospitalisation by a doctor from outside,” said Banerjee.
“Belle Vue did not refuse the patient but said there were some technical difficulties in extending a cashless admission facility to him. The patient tested positive for Covid-19 subsequently and he was then allowed the cashless facility.”
In the process, the patient had to pay Rs 56,000 of the total bill of Rs 1.56 lakh. The hospital got Rs 1 lakh reimbursed under the state government scheme.
“We have asked the hospital to give all documents to the patient’s family so they can claim reimbursement under the health scheme. The hospital must reimburse the patient any amount that will not be reimbursed by the health scheme,” he said.
A similar complaint was lodged against Ruby hospital by the family of an ex-employee of Damodar Valley Corporation. The 76-year-old man passed away at the hospital in December.
The hospital had refused the patient the benefits of the central government health scheme on the ground that they had ceased to have any agreement with the DVC for treating its employees, said Banerjee.
“But the agreement is supposed to continue till February 2021. We have asked the hospital to prepare a separate bill according to the rates of the health scheme and give it to the patient’s family,” said Banerjee.
The family will claim reimbursement under the scheme. “If there is any amount the claim for which is rejected on the ground of extra charge or on any other merit, the hospital has to refund the patient’s family that amount,” said Banerjee.
“We have also asked Horizon Life Line to return Rs 2.5 lakh to a patient’s family, who had complained about overcharging,” he said.
“Horizon must also offer a discount of Rs 1.34 lakh on the total bill amount to a patient’s family,” Banerjee added.