Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will hold talks with the representatives of private hospitals following allegations of them charging exorbitant fees for COVID-19 treatment. Government-run hospitals have been treating COVID-19 patients free of charge.
The government had fixed rates for treatment in private hospitals under the Karunya health scheme. The scheme, Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi, envisages coverage for the underprivileged against chronic diseases.
Under the scheme, the fees fixed for COVID-19 treatment daily have been Rs 2,300 for common ward, Rs 3,300 for high dependency unit, 6,500 for intensive care, and Rs 11,500 for ICU patients on ventilator support.
It has, however, been alleged that there are no uniform charges for COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals. Some of them even demand an advance deposit of Rs 1 lakh.
In Ernakulam, private hospitals have been charging Rs 30,000 to Rs 1.10 lakh a day for treatment in common COVID ward; Rs 45,000 to Rs 1.3 lakh for non-air-conditioned ICU; Rs 55,000 to Rs 1.6 lakh in air-conditioned ICU; Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh (this may go up to Rs 3.5 lakh) for ICU with ventilator support.
Private hospitals in Kottayam charge Rs 7,000 to Rs 20,000 daily. In Idukki, it is Rs 5,000 a day for a single room, Rs 3,000 for a double room, and Rs 2,500 for treatment in a common COVID ward.
In Pathanamthitta, private players have been charging Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000, and treatment in ICU will cost an average of Rs 20,000 per diem. An additional Rs 10,000 will be required for ventilator support.
Private hospitals in Thrissur charge anywhere between Rs 8,000 and 10,000 a day, while ventilator support will require Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000. Palakkad does not have a fixed rate, though hospitals charge upwards of Rs 5,000. Cost for treatment in ICU with ventilator support begins from Rs 15,000.
Treatment in Malappuram will cost Rs 6,000 a day, which ICU and ventilator support will need Rs 10,000.
Small and mid-level private healthcare providers in Kozhikode charge Rs 2,300 for treatment in the common ward. ICU without ventilator will cost Rs 6,500, and the fee per day for treatment in ICU with ventilator is Rs 11,500. Super speciality hospitals charge Rs 8,500 for common ward and ventilator support will require Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000.
In Wayanad, private hospitals charge between Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,000 for common ward, and Rs 15,000 a day for treatment in ICU with oxygen. ICU and ventilator will cost Rs 25,000.
In Kannur, the charges begin from Rs 4,000 a day. Ventilator support will need Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000. Private hospitals in Kasaragod charge upwards of Rs 2,000 a day. Treatment in ICU for 10 days will cost up to Rs 1.5 lakh.
