GUWAHATI, June 4: Assam has fixed “patient-friendly” rates for COVID-19 treatment in both general wards and super-specialty wards of private hospitals.
Announcing the development at a media conference here on Friday, state health minister Keshab Mahanta said the rates of private hospitals across the country were compared before fixing the maximum chargeable rates in Assam so that there was no discrepancy in the prices charged for the treatment of COVID patients during the time of a pandemic.
“Two meetings with proprietors of private healthcare facilities in the state were held before fixing the rates in private hospitals for COVID patients,” Mahanta said.
The minister informed that the maximum rates which could be charged from COVID patients in general wards of super specialty hospitals was Rs 5000 per day, while that in general wards of other private hospitals has been fixed at Rs 4000 per day.
“The maximum rate for a cabin in private super specialty hospitals is Rs 6500 per day, ICU without ventilator is Rs 10,000 per day and ICU with ventilator is Rs 15,000 per day. Likewise, the maximum rate for a cabin in a general hospital is Rs 5000 per day, ICU without ventilator is Rs 9000 per day and ICU with ventilator is Rs 12,000 per day,” Mahanta said.
He added that the rates would be inclusive of registration charges, bed, boarding/food, nursing charge, consultant’s charge, pathological tests, X-rays, USG, etc.
“However, for treatment of other (non COVID) ailments, patients (generally with co-morbid conditions) will be charged as per the applicable rates,” the minister said
Earlier in the day, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reviewed the COVID scenario during a meeting with the health minister and officials of the health department.