The High Court of Karnataka has directed the State government to ensure that private hospitals, treating COVID-19 patients, display the rates fixed by the State government in June 2020. The Court also directed them to look into the allegation that some private hospitals are charging higher rates to treat COVID-19 patients.
The order was passed by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar while hearing a PIL petition complaining about irregularities in selection of private hospital for COVID-19 treatment.
The Court has directed the state government :
1. To ensure that the designated private hospitals do not make COVID-19 patients, referred by the public authorities, pay any charges, including for PPE kits and other consumables.
2. To ensure hospitals display the availability of the facility.
3. To make available a grievance redressal mechanism for COVID-19 patients for complaining about charging excess rates.
4. To inform the court the mechanism for reimbursing the claims of charges by the private hospitals for treating the patients.
Lawcutor 