Covid-19 suspect gets bill estimate of over Rs 9 lakh for 10-day treatment at Columbia Asia Hospital

After the hospital bill of a Covid-19 suspect went viral on social media on Tuesday, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar and Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey assured reporters here that action will be taken against the said private hospital.

The bill estimate dated July 13 posted on Twitter amounts to Rs. 9,09,000, including ventilator cost of Rs. 1,40,000. The bill was given for 10 days of ICU isolation with a ventilator at Columbia Asia Hospital, Whitefield. According to the rates fixed by the government, for patients who directly approach private hospitals, per day cost of ICU with ventilator is Rs. 25,000.

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Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar told reporters here, "Any private hospital found to be overcharging patients will be dealt with seriously. We have fixed rates for both cash-paying patients who go directly to private hospitals and those referred by the government also."

However, Dr. Chaitanya Pathania, General Manager, Columbia Asia Hospital, Whitefield, in a statement about the said patient -- Syed Bashiruddin, said, "The said elderly patient came to Columbia Asia Hospital, Whitefield, on July 13, at around 2.30 pm with fever and respiratory distress. He also had co-morbidities of diabetes and hypertension. He was tentatively diagnosed as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, due to a viral or bacterial cause."

"We wish to point out that at that stage, he was not a confirmed Covid case nor was he referred by the government. Any patient in such a situation is given an estimate only. This does not mean that any final bill or costing was provided. All patients once confirmed to be Covid positive are treated in conformity with the government rules and regulations which Columbia Asia commits to follow with no exception."

Also, a circular issued on Tuesday, jointly by BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar and Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey, the government clearly states, "Till the Covid result comes out, the hospital shall treat the patient at Covid rates for government-referred patients."