GCC orders action against pvt hosp for failing to refund patient

According to a letter to the director of Medival and Rural Health Services sent by Manish Narnaware, Deputy Commissioner (health) of Chennai Corporation, a notice ordering refund has been taken based on a complaint received from a family member of the patient. 

“It was informed that a patient named Gopinath, aged 42 years, who was admitted in your Smart Vision and Diabetes Clinic for COVID treatment from May 25 to June 16 and was charged Rs 8.05 lakh, which was an excess amount of Rs 1.99 lakh as per government order,” the notice dated July 29 addressed to the hospital had said. 

The notice directed the hospital to refund the excess amount to the patient within seven days from the date of receipt of the notice. 

However, the hospital has reportedly failed to refund the excess amount, following which the recommendation to take action against the hospital has been made. 

As per the data, 16 patients in Chennai received a refund to the tune of Rs 18.36 lakh from 10 hospitals, which charged more than the fixed charge.