Tamil Nadu caps COVID-19 treatment rates at private hospitals

The regulations in the treatment rate are applicable to all patients, including those who have availed the Chief Minister’s comprehensive health insurance scheme.
COVID-19 hospital
COVID-19 hospital
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The Tamil Nadu government, on May 22, issued a government order, regulating COVID-19 treatment charges at private hospitals in the state. This is applicable to all patients, including those who have availed of the Chief Minister’s comprehensive health insurance scheme. Accordingly, per day critical care charges for a patient availing the Chief Minister’s comprehensive health insurance scheme cannot exceed Rs 25,000 (ICU with O2 as stepping down) at private hospitals. This includes the room rates, administrative charges, intervention treatments, oxygen supply, medicine and other COVID-19 related additional management charges.

The Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme aims to provide quality medical care to poor families and cashless medical and surgical treatment in all government and empanelled private hospitals. Furthermore, the GO has also stated that patients need not produce a letter from the government doctor to avail treatment at a private facility.

For those availing the comprehensive health insurance scheme, the government has also made changes to the rates for different stages of critical care treatment. For patients requiring ventilator support, the treatment per day has been fixed at Rs 35,000. Earlier, this used to be Rs 14,000 without SEPSIS/MODS (multiple organ dysfunction syndromes in patients with sepsis) support and Rs 15,000 with SEPSIS/MODS support. For non-invasive ventilation support, the price has increased from Rs 10,000 (without SEPSIS/MODS) and Rs 11,000 (with SEPSIS/MODS) to Rs 30,000 per day.

For non-critical cases, hospital charges start from Rs 2,000 (only oxygen support) per day. The entire treatment per day for non-critical cases cannot exceed Rs 15,000. The previous rate of Rs 5,000 for non-oxygen support treatment will remain the same. The government will bear the cost of other ICU tests and medicines.

As for the general public, who do not come under the CM’s comprehensive scheme, treatment charges at private hospitals have been capped at Rs 5,000 (A3 to A5 grade hospitals) and Rs 7,500 (A1 and A2 grade hospitals) for non-critical, non-oxygen treatment (per day). Notably, hospitals have been distinguished into grades based on bed strength and other facilities.

For treatment with oxygen support, costs have been fixed at Rs 15,000 per day. For treatment with ventilator support, hospitals cannot charge above Rs 35,000 per day. The same applies to treatment with non-invasive ventilation, which has been fixed at Rs 30,000 per day. For or treatment in the ICU with oxygen, the rate has been capped at Rs 25,000 per day.

The government order adds that private hospitals in tire-one cities such as Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore can charge extra, but upto Rs 5,000. Private hospitals in tire-two places such as Salem, Trichy, Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli can charge extra upto Rs 3,000. 

The GO also states that any complaints regarding overpricing, if filed with proof, will lead to action against the hospital under the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 and Disaster Management Act, 2005. People can raise complaints by calling 18004253993 or 104.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, on May 23, inaugurated a 130-oxygen bed facility in Chennai's Saidapet. The facility has been arranged as part of the CREDAI's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative and these beds will be managed by the staff of government hospitals in Chennai and other cities of Tamil Nadu. The Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India (CREDAI) has also arranged 200 oxygen beds facility at the Madurai Government Hospital for treatment free of cost, and this was also inaugurated by Stalin. 

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