KOLKATA: The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) on Thursday directed Apollo Gleneagles Hospital to fix a deposit of Rs 13,488 in the name of a patient after the commission found that the amount was ‘excessively’ charged by the hospital.
The commission said that one Sujan Bihari Roy, an elderly citizen, was admitted to the Apollo Hospital for a hernia operation. The hospital said that the package cost would be Rs 1.80 lakh which the insurance company did not approve. The insurance company approved Rs 50,000. The patient was informed by an agent that the remaining amount would be covered by the insurance company upon application.
According to the agreement, the patient was required to pay Rs 1,08,000. Upon discharge, the hospital received Rs 71,000. The WBCERC found that the hospital charged Rs 13,448 for a mesh used in a hernia operation, which should have been covered by the policy.
The hospital is prohibited from charging separately for this. Consequently, the commission has directed the hospital to place the amount in a fixed deposit for the patient’s future treatment.
WBCERC instructed Fortis Hospital to refund Rs 10,460 in non-medical expenses to the family of a patient who died following complications from gallbladder surgery.
The refund is ordered on humanitarian grounds.