Following numerous complaints raised by patients over exorbitantly high medical bills charged by private hospitals during the pandemic, the state government issued a notification on Thursday to control the charges levied by private healthcare providers. For cases where the hospitals are not part of the General Insurance Public Sector Association (GIPSA) and if patients are not covered by health insurance or have exhausted their insurance cover, the state government has announced a cap on charges for both COVID as well as non COVID patients and these rates will be applicable till August 31.

According to the notification which applies to hospitals, nursing homes and maternity homes that are run by charitable trusts, 80 per cent of total operational bed capacity will be regulated by rates applying to both isolation and non-isolation beds which will be regulated by a government authority. The hospital management can charge their regular rates for only the remaining 20 per cent of the beds and patients will be admitted on a first come first serve basis.