final bill settlement by hospitals on demise

Final bill settlement by hospitals on demise of pa

We all have been coming across the huge amount being charged by corporate hospitals towards medical treatment. No doubt the hospitals are also pretending to be starred hotels alike business. Whether it is an ethical or unethical is matter of debate. Meanwhile we are also coming across the incidences wherein the patients have been died but the discharge awaits final payment settlement. In my view the final bill of the dying patient may not be exceeding few hubdred or thousand rupees as hospitals are best operational operndii of depositing interim payments from time to time. I personally feel the hospitals in its professional and humantarian grounds should not demand at all for the final payment if any from the relatives and that could be the best tribute from the hospitals to the departing souls as well as relief to the family who have lost near and dear ones. What do you feel on this feeling?

Mohan Siroya (Chairperson Consumer Complaints Cell)

All should be aware about their rights. Supeme Court has given a decision that for want of payment, no hospital can deny or refuse discharge of the patient dead or alive. If the hospital does, it will invite a criminal charge of ILLEGAL CONFINEMENT. Police will intervene immediatly. If hospital wants to recover money,it has remedy to file a suit in the civil court.None can be kept forcibly or against wishes .

Jayakumar Daniel ( Tour advisor for tourists from U.S.A and Europe .QualifiedYoga instructor )

It is tricky subject : Mr. Mohan Siroya in his post says that the 
" Supeme Court has given a decision that for want of payment, no hospital can deny or refuse discharge of the patient dead or alive. " 

This gives a lot of powers for the Family to take the body away without settling the bill even without assuring or Gauranteeing . In the grief and the expenses incurred already there is a good chance that the family might forget . That is not fair on the Hospital which had come handy at the time of distress. 

Then to safe gaurd their interest the Hospitals will ask for more hefty advances before admisssions. The most affected are the poor , who may not have that sort of capacity to generate money in a short time . Many ggo to the the usuary or the the marwari who takes jewels as pledge and gives money . 

There should be delicate balance in these matters . We have to isolate Hospitals which increase the hospitalisation to fill up occupancy and utilization of equipments . The y should be dealt with severely . Government Hospitals should increase their capacity and expertise to deal with such situations .

"should not demand at all for the final payment if any from the relatives and that could be the best tribute" is moral, ethical and at natural Justice. But, if mandated so, Hospitals will be demanding day to day or every 2 days charges of all . 
Already the Hospitals irrespective of Corporate or displaying Board of Multi Specialty, even for Operations collecting in advance either Huge Sums or,deposit of Insurance Coverage and till then, Treating the Patient getting stalled. 
On the other hand, neither the Governments nor the Supreme Court is not able to set for Regulated Charges in Private Hospitals while the pleading from Doctors' profession is the result of highest cost of getting a Medical Degree. 

All these going against the concept of article 21, 41 and 47 AND IS RESULT OF FAILURE IN IMPLEMENTATION OF HEALTH AND EDUCATION . Many Districts do not have adequate PHCs, sufficient Dispensaries and even requisite Hospitals . It is known even to High Courts and I think S.C. too that these 3 types of basic Health institutions do not have adequate number of Treating and Nursing Manpower.

Ramji Sundaram

Forget about waiving off pending bills of deceased patients which no corporate hospital will ever do. Let them first practise ethics and provide only the treatment that a patient needs , not expensive scans and tests which are not needed so that they can fleece the patient and recover the cost of expensive equipment like MRI ,catscan etc . Unfortunately the doctors are also given a target by the hospitals to fulfill and they also abet in this loot of the patients. First sign of a good doctor is to make a proper diagnosis not prescribe numerous tests to rule out other possibilities. A layman patient or his relative will be hardly in a position to argue with the doctor which some unscrupulous doctors exploit.

Atul Jauhari (Technocrat)

Only solution is to bring all Private Health services under GST.

Prabhakar Korada

It is a most impracticable suggestion. Hospitals are also establishments. They have invested crores of rupees and worked their entire lives to be able to fit into the role of a doctor or a hospital administrator. They too have stomachs to feed. Their employees need to be taken care of. How can you even expect such kind of favors! Yes, one thing that can be done is Government should take a serious role in the health of the people. It should make affordable medicare within the reach of every citizen. The corruption and exploitation of corporate hospitals will thus come down.