The state clinical establishment regulatory commission on Wednesday asked two private hospitals to refund money to two patients and the family of a third following complaints that the hospitals had overcharged them.

R Flemming Hospital in Topsia was asked to return Rs 3 lakh and Rs 1.2 lakh to two men who had been treated for Covid-19, said retired judge Ashim Kumar Banerjee, the chairperson of the commission, Desun Hospital in Anandapur was asked to return Rs 50,000 to the family of a patient who was admitted there with various illnesses.

The commission asked R Flemming Hospital to return Rs 1,20,000 to Barun Bhadra, 50, who was treated there from July 31 to August 9. “The patient was billed Rs 3,20,000 for 10 days’ treatment at the hospital. The patient party complained that he did not require any critical care. They said the patient was in the isolation ward for three-four days before being shifted to the Covid general bed,” Banerjee said.

“The hospital said the patient was in the isolation ward all through. But that should not be. A patient should be shifted to a bed meant for Covid patients after he or she tests positive for the disease,” Banerjee said.

According to him, the hospital said the patient was admitted under a package of Rs 35,000 per day. “Covid general bed treatment cannot cost Rs 35,000 a day. It cannot exceed Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 in a general ward. We have asked the hospital to charge Rs 20,000 a day,” the chairman said.

At that rate, 10 days’ treatment will cost Rs 2 lakh. “We have asked the hospital to return Rs 1,20,000 to the patient,” said Banerjee.

The hospital was also asked to return Rs 3 lakh to 63-year-old Gouranga Sarkar, who was treated there from July 22 to August 10. “The patient was billed Rs 7 lakh for 20 days. They charged Rs 35,000 a day. We again asked them to bill him Rs 20,000 for a day. That way it would cost Rs 4 lakh. We asked the hospital to refund Rs 3 lakh,” said Banerjee.

He added the hospital had said they had asked the patient’s family to take him home as he had recuperated but the family insisted on taking him back only after he tested negative.

“We will not comment on the commission’s order, but the families of the patients were clearly told of the charges. They got the patients admitted only after agreeing to the charges,” said Sahid Khan, the manager of R Flemming Hospital.

The commission also asked Desun Hospital to return Rs 50,000 to a patient who was admitted to the hospital on August 12 and passed away two days later. “The woman’s condition was very critical. She was at the hospital for 35 hours and the family was billed Rs 1,80,000. The cost was very high. We have asked the hospital to return Rs 50,000,” said Banerjee.

“We felt that such a huge amount for 35 hours is not possible,” said Banerjee.

“We will not comment till we receive a copy of the order,” said Tapas Mukherjee, the deputy managing director of Desun Hospital.