Maharashtra govt revises cap on Covid-19 treatment rates

Mumbai and all MMR cities except Vasai-Virar and Bhiwandi are in the top expensive category. Representation pic

The state government on Tuesday revised the ‘capped' rates for Covid-19 treatment at private hospitals after it was brought to its notice that a uniform cap across the state allowed hospitals in two-tier and three-tier cities like Vasai-Virar, Bhiwandi and Nasik to charge at par with expensive star hospitals in Mumbai and Thane.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray signed a notification on Tuesday, in which cities have been segregated in three categories for fixing treatment charges. The order tells local authorities to implement the decision strictly. The previous order allowed private hospitals to charge their own rates for 20 per cent of the beds and for the remaining 80 per cent, they were asked to bill at the rates fixed by the government. The order that expired on Monday was replaced on Tuesday with a revised notification.

The CMO said that cities have been classified as per the template the government applies while granting allowances and which the insurance companies use while approving claims. "It will considerably reduce the treatment cost in semi-urban and rural areas," the CMO said.

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Like the previous order, government teams will continue to audit the bills issued by private hospitals, said the CEO of State Health Guarantee Scheme, Dr Sudhakar Shinde. "The notification has empowered flying squads to inspect erring hospitals and act against them," he said.

In the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Bhiwandi and Vasai-Virar have been placed a step below Mumbai, but Kalyan-Dombivli, Mira-Bhayandar and Navi Mumbai will be at par with the state capital and Thane, which are in the most expensive ‘A' category.

Classification and rates (per day)
‘A' category: Mumbai, MMR (excluding Bhiwandi, Vasai-Virar), Pune and Pune metropolitan area, Nagpur municipal area, Digdoh and Wadi
Rates: Rs 4,000 (ward bed), Rs 9,000 (ventilator, ICU and isolation), Rs 7,500 (ventilator, ICU)

‘B' category: Nashik, Aurangabad, Amravati. Bhiwandi, Vasai-Virar, Solapur, Kolhapur, Malegaon, Nanded, Sangli
Rates: Rs 3,000 (ward bed), Rs 6,700 (ventilator, ICU and isolation), Rs 5,500 (ventilator, ICU)

‘C' category: Cities and district headquarters not included in ‘A' and ‘B'.
Rates: Rs 2,400 (ward bed), Rs 5,400 (ventilator, ICU and isolation), Rs 4,500 (ventilator, ICU)