Overcharging: FIR against Khanna hospital

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 24

In a stringent action against private hospitals indulging in fleecing patients for Covid treatment, a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against Jain Multispeciality Hospital, Khanna, on Monday for charging nearly 106 per cent above the rates fixed by the government.

A case under Sections 269, 270 and 188 of the IPC, Sections 51 (B) and 58 of the Disaster Management Act-2005 and Section 3 of the Epidemic Disease Act-1897 has been registered against the management of the hospital on the complaint of Sagar Verma, a resident of Yamuna Nagar in Haryana.

Verma had complained to Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma against the hospital for overcharging for the Covid treatment of his father, who later died in another hospital.

The Deputy Commissioner had ordered a probe against the hospital and asked a committee of Additional Deputy Commissioner (D) Sandeep Kumar, Deputy Director Dr Hatinder Kaur and Assistant Civil Surgeon Dr Vivek Kataria to complete the inquiry within 48 hours.

The probe panel reported that as per the government rates fixed for the Covid treatment, the actual bill of Verma’s father should have Rs 2,35,450 only and the hospital earlier asked the complainant to pay Rs 8,45,062. Later in the probe, the hospital termed it a clerical mistake and said the bill was Rs 4,86,010, which was again more than 106 per cent against the government guidelines.

The report blamed that due to malpractice of overbilling by the hospital, the complainant shifted his father to another health institution, where he succumbed later, so allegations against Jain Multispecialty Hospital were true.

Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said the district administration was keeping a close vigil on the functioning of hospitals and no one would be allowed to do any kind of malpractice.

He said anyone could file a complaint on 104 helpline number of the Health Department and his office regarding unethical practice in this hour of crisis.