Covid patient’s kin forced to pay Rs 11 lakh for 19-day treatment
Adding insult to injury, private hospital ‘offers’ Re 1 ‘discount’ on bill
Will govt set an example by ordering bill refund and also penalising hospital?
CHIKKAMAGALUR:
Despite the state government capping Covid treatment costs at private hospitals, exorbitant charges continue. In once such case, a Covid patient’s family was traumatised on receiving a bill for a whopping Rs 11 lakh for a 19-day stay.
70-year-old Nanjundappa, a resident of Pillenahalli village in Sakkarayapatna hobli of Kadur taluk in Chikkamagalur district, was admitted to Ashraya Hospital in Chikkamagalur city on August 24.
“Nanjundappa did not survive. However, for a 19-day treatment, the hospital bill of Rs 9.25 lakh and medical bills of Rs 1.54 lakh came to a total of nearly Rs 11 lakh,” a family member said.
To add a double insult to injury, his family was allowed to take the body only after paying the astronomical bill, and when they asked for a concession, all they got was a one-rupee rebate!
Not just that, when Nanjundappa’s family wanted to shift him to another hospital, the Ashraya management assured them he would be given quality treatment.
The family has now lodged a complaint with the district authorities demanding a refund of the amount paid. The family alleges that the hospital did not gave a single report for the entire duration of Nanjundappa’s stay.
The District Superintendent has instructed the DHO to investigate the incident on a war footing.
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