Hyderabad consumer commission orders pvt hospital to pay 2 lakh compensation for overcharging Covid patient

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered a private hospital in the city to refund Rs 2 lakh collected from a Covid patient two years ago. The commission also asked the hospital management to pay Rs 10000 to the patient towards the litigation costs.

A 52-year-old trader from Doodhbowli, Abid Hussain, was charged Rs 5.4 lakh by the Metro Cure Hospital in Malakpet. He was admitted there for ten days for Covid-19 treatment two years ago. Hussain was diagnosed with double pneumonia and CO-RADS 5, a high level of pulmonary infection and was kept in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Hussain moved to the consumer body against the excessive bills after which the commission ordered the hospital to pay Rs two lakh to the patient as compensation.

"The hospital collected huge amounts for the treatment and services which amount to unfair trade practice. It charged excessively during the pandemic in violation of the government directives which fixed a ceiling on the rates chargeable by the private hospitals on Covid-19-related investigation tests and treatment," Hussain said in the complaint. He alleged that the Metro Cure hospital violates ceiling rates for covid treatments.

While considering the petition, the consumer commission issued a notice to the hospital seeking an explanation from the management. They claimed that the condition of the patient was very serious and he had other diseases apart from Covid infection. The hospital informed the commission that they provided treatment with “appropriate antibiotics, antivirals, antiplatelets, anticoagulants, MVIs, steroids and other supportive drugs.” The management also claimed the hospitalisation charges were reasonable and affordable when compared to other hospitals.

However, the commission found that the charges for diagnosis, investigation, room rent and other pathological tests were billed over and above the limit fixed by the government. The pharmacy charges of Rs 82902 was in violation of the government order which specifically mentioned that the treatment in ICU includes drugs and various procedures, the commission noted. It further said that Rs 276150, which was exclusively charged towards various services like nursing, drug administration, DMO charges etc., was also against the government mandates