The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of NCT of Delhi, has been receiving a numbers of complaints / allegations against excessive charges and the refusal / delay by private hospitals / nursing homes in providing medical treatment to victims of crimes, road accidents, unfair employment practices, etc.

With a view to address this issue, it constituted a Committee for formulating an Advisory addressing such allegations. The Committee has invited comments / suggestions to the Draft Advisory by 14.07.2018.

The comments and suggestions should be sent to Dr. Kirti Bhushan, Director General Health Services, F-17, Karkardooma, Delhi- 110032 at e-mail ID: dirdhs@nic.in.

Key Highlights of the Draft Advisory: 

1. The following mechanisms to ensure that the hospitals prescribe drugs mentioned in mentioned in National List of Essential Medicines (“NLEM”):

• All nursing homes and private hospitals registered under Delhi Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1953 and Rules should ensure the availability of NLEM drugs for indoor patients.
• Disposables to be classified under NLEM and non-NLEM categories.

2. The following prices to be charged by private hospitals for medicines and consumables:

• The NLEM drugs can be billed on the MRP
• All Non-NLEM drugs or disposables or consumables or Implants should be billed at their respective procurement price + maximum upto additional 50% as mark-up against administrative or handling charges or MRP, whichever is less.

3. The prices to be charged by private hospitals for investigation should be decided by the sub- committee formed for this purpose.

4. The private hospitals not to compel the patients to buy medicines from the in-house pharmacy unless in situations of emergency and critical cases.

5. Fixing of packages for operative procedures in the following manner:

• Packages should cover hidden charges and should clearly mention whether such amount covers complications
• If the packages do not cover complications then such should be communicated along with the medical situations and their financial implications
• The counselling procedure should be recorded preferably in video and in case any additional procedure is performed on the patient, then, only 50% shall be charged for the same.
• High Risk package shall cost not more than 20% higher and such shall be disclosed clearly.
• If the patient dies in the Emergency Room or Casualty Department of the hospital within six hours of then the hospital shall waive off 50% of the total bill. Any death occurring between six to twenty – four hours of the arrival of the patient, the hospital shall waive off 20% of the total bill.

6. The following measures to remove cuts and commissions:

• Any charges which is absent from the bill should be considered as malpractice.
• Salaries and consultation charges disbursed to all employees including the doctors should not be in cash.
• Any amount paid by the hospital above 20 thousand Rupees in a financial Year should be made through cheque or Challan.

7. Providing Medical treatment without denial or delay is mandatory for the nursing homes under Clause 14.2 of the Schedule appended with Rule 14 of Delhi Nursing Homes (Amendment) Rules, 2011; is mandatory by order dated 21.02.2013 to all Directors/Medical Superintendents of all hospitals in NCT of Delhi.

8. No hospital should show any form of disrespect for any dead body and should not in any circumstances refuse to release a dead body on the account of non-payment of fees or bills.

 Please refer to the hyperlink below for further information.

 Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of NCT of Delhi

Share this: