The Karnataka government is taking a firm stance against private hospitals and nursing homes which fail to provide itemized bills for treatment charges. This action is likely aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in healthcare services, which is crucial for patients to understand the breakdown of costs and make informed decisions about their treatment. Such measures can also help in preventing overcharging and unnecessary medical expenses.
This follows after series of complaints by patients who questioned on discrepancies and unclear charges in the final bill during discharge from hospitals. There was no clarity on the breakdown of the medical treatment charges incurred for including the cost of specific procedures, medications, supplies, and services.
This led the state government to mandate the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Amendment Act 2017 which stipulates that every private medical establishment for the information of patients and general public needs to display the schedule of charges payable for consultation, investigations medical treatment, procedures, hospital charges and other services on the public website or on its own website and any notice board of the establishment at a conspicuous place at the reception. It should also provide the schedule of charges in the form of booklets or brochures which are readily available to patients and the public at the establishment at all times.
A communication from the Karnataka Commissionerate of health and family welfare stated that in Section 10(2) of the Act, for the services provided to a patient , the private medical establishments can collect from the patient or his relative or an attendant an amount not more than the charges notified as per the Sub-Section 10(1) after providing an itemised bill.
“As per Section 10(4) for the services provided to a patient not belonging to eligible household under the National Food Safety Act 2013, but referred under any of the health assurance schemes of the government, the charges over and above the amount reimbursable from the government as per the scheme norms shall be collected subject to the rates notified under Sub-Section 10(1) after providing an itemised bill,” said the health commissioner D Randeep.
However, it has come to the notice of the Commissioner of Health that some private medical establishments have fixed consolidated rates for some medical treatments and services without providing itemised bill. Instead the healthcare providers have only given consolidated rates mentioned in the bill provided to the patient, he added.
Therefore, all the district health and family welfare officers have been ordered to direct all the private medical establishments to mandatorily furnish an itemised bill for the services provided to the patient irrespective of whether the procedure, treatment services are under CGHS package or not and only then collect the charges from the patient or their relative or attendant, said the health commissioner.
Extending a strict order, the Karnataka government has communicated that if any private medical establishment does not comply with the provisions for the issuing of the itemised bill as mentioned above then the district health and family welfare officers have to take appropriate action as per the Section 19(5) of the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Amendment against such erring private medical establishments.
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