Coronavirus outbreak: It’s zero-billing policy for poor and rich alike at Karnataka government hospitals

Covid-19 has affected BPL cardholders and the affluent alike. But all Covid-19 patients have got free treatment irrespective of their economic background. So, Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK) has not received any Covid-19 reimbursement claims.

There are 427 Covid-19 patients in the state, treated at government and private hospitals. Patients admitted in private hospitals for SARI, ILI and other co-morbidities, after testing positive, are shifted to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru or district hospitals that are currently acting as Covid-19 exclusive hospitals, where they are treated free of cost.

Emergency and Trauma Care Centre in Bengaluru's Victoria Hospital campus which is a Covid-19 exclusive hospital follows a zero billing protocol, irrespective of the paying capacity of the patient.

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"AB-ArK had approved 10 procedure codes more than a month ago for insurance of Covid-19. But we have only received around 147 pre-authorisation claims for pneumonia, high fever, stay at HDU (high dependency unit), ICU and general ward. We don't know if these are Covid-19 patients. Some hospitals out of the 85 Covid-19 hospitals in the state are giving treatment without pre-authorisation," said a senior official of Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust, the implementing agency for AB-ArK.

Cost analysis

As on Wednesday, Bengaluru Urban had a total of 91 Covid-19 patients including those who've recovered and deaths. The cost of treating a patient starts with testing.

Aseema Banu, Nodal Officer, Emergency and Trauma Care Centre, told DH, "A Covid-19 patient is tested at least thrice. Once on day 1 and twice on day 14 before discharge. Considering each test costs Rs. 2,000, in total, it costs Rs. 6,000. Whether it is a crorepati or a BPL card holder, he/she is treated free of cost here. We don't ask them for BPL cards or APL cards. All they carry with them is their phones. We have a zero billing policy here."

Dr Balaji Pai, Medical Superintendent, Emergency and Trauma Care Centre, said, "Currently, we have 40 Covid-19 patients here. Totally, there have been eight patients in the ICU. Four got well and were discharged, two passed away and two are still there. It costs 15,000 to the government to keep a patient without ventilator in the ICU and Rs. 25,000 with ventillator. It costs not less than Rs. 800 to Rs. 1,000 per bed per day in the general ward."

"We spend Rs. 45,000 worth of PPEs alone per day for doctors, nurses, security and Group D staff. The main expenditure is on PPEs (personal protective equipment), diet, and medication of 40 patients currently. Per patient, at least one PPE is used per day. Oxygen, disposables, consumables, biomedical waste management, water, and electricity are other expenses," says Pai.