The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission on Monday asked Iris Hospital in Ganguly Bagan to return over Rs 1.12 lakh to a patient for refusing to admit him under the Swasthya Sathi scheme despite knowing that the patient, who came back within 24 hours of discharge, still had money to claim under the scheme.
Earlier, the hospital had allegedly taken Rs 1.4 lakh from the patient party even after claiming money under Swasthya Sathi for a neurosurgery.
The hospital did not give a receipt for this payment. When the commission threatened to involve the police in this matter, the hospital agreed to return the money, the commission’s chairperson, retired judge Ashim Banerjee, said.
“The woman was first admitted around 11.30pm on May 29. The hospital did not admit her under the Swasthya Sathi scheme. When the doctor advised neurosurgery the next morning, the hospital admitted her under the scheme,” he said.
In the few hours between May 29 night and the next morning, the hospital charged the patient more than Rs 63,000, Banerjee said.
“After the doctor advised surgery, an official at the hospital told the patient’s family that the package would cost about Rs 90,000. They said Swasthya Sathi would not allow the entire cost. We found that the hospital claimed Rs 90,000 from Swasthya Sathi and also allegedly took Rs 1.4 lakh from the patient,” Banerjee said.
According to him, the patient’s family said the hospital did not give any receipt for the money paid by them.
The woman was discharged on June 7 but was readmitted within 24 hours. This time, too, the hospital did not admit her under Swastha Sathi.
The commission felt that despite knowing that the patient still had money that could have been claimed under the Swasthya Sathi scheme, the hospital admitted her asa “cash patient”. The patient’s family had to pay Rs 1.12lakh as treatment cost this time.
“Cash patient” means the patient’s family had to pay the expenses of the treatment as those are not covered by any insurance scheme.
“There were many irregularities on the part of the hospital. We have asked them to return the entire cost of treatment. They have taken over Rs 63,000 during the first time and Rs 1.12 lakh when she was readmitted within 24 hours of being discharged. This entire amount has to be returned,” said Banerjee.
The hospital agreed to return Rs 1.4 lakh to the family on their own, he said. “The hospital initially refused that it had taken Rs 1.4 lakh (during the patient’s first stay at hospital). When we said we would involve the police in the matter, their stand softened and they agreed to return the money,” Banerjee said.
Metro reached out to an official of Iris Hospital, who did not make any comment.