In another complaint against Panchkula’s Paras Hospital, a widow of a doctor who succumbed to Covid-19 on May 3 has now alleged that the hospital has overcharged her with Rs 14 lakh for her husband’s treatment, which was for over 20 days.
Aarti was handed a 34-page bill and now she is wondering that how will she repay her relatives who loaned her money for the treatment of her husband Dr Kapil Garg.
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The letter
The letter read, “Now I am the widow and mother of an only girl, Saranya, aged 13 years. My now-deceased husband was admitted on April 12 and died on May 3 in Paras Hospital. During the treatment, they conducted tests, used the medical intensive care unit (MICU) and also the ventilator in the hospital. They did not provide adequate treatment, due to my husband is no more.”
The letter further said that Aarti was ‘forced’ to pay the money from time to time during the treatment, the sum of the treatment came to Rs 13.81 lakh. The letter said, “The hospital in fact extracted huge amounts of money at their own desired rates fixed by them against the orders issued by the Haryana government in June last year, capping the daily package rates for Covid-19 treatment in private hospitals. Those rates were supposed to be the part of package and inclusive of all charges. The hospital is not only violating and wilfully ignore the Haryana government’s orders but also extracting huge amounts of money from poor and deprived family members.”
The letter added, “It was during the treatment of my husband that I along with my mother-in-law and daughter got infected with Covid in the hospital. As a result my mother-in-law also succumbed to the virus on May 7.”
In the letter, Aarti further requested an inquiry and asked for a refund.
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Hospital’s reply
However, the hospital has claimed that the patient family has been informed about the treatment and its charges, and informed that the doctor was a resident of Punjab that’s why “Haryana state package rates were not applicable.”
Paras Hospital responded to the letter and said, “The patient’s attendants were counseled and informed about the line of treatment and charges around it. During his treatment, a multidisciplinary team of specialists was engaged and the family was well-informed about his treatment on the regular basis.
Unfortunately, the patient died on May 3 and the circular was issued on May 4 covering the Covid package rates for all domiciles. Since the patient expired before the date of issue of circular and was a resident of Bathinda, Punjab, the Haryana State package rates did not apply to him.
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We are completely aligned with government policies and patient bills are prepared as per guidelines issued as per government authorities. In this pandemic, we are firmly standing alongside the government in fighting it and serving the patients.”
Recently, Paras Hospital was in the news after multiple patients alleged the hospital for overcharging, which was cited by the Speaker and local MLA Gian Chand Gupta in the letter to Haryana Home Minister. A committee formed for the inquiry claimed that the hospital has not been charged as per the rates set by the Haryana government.