BackSC asks whether private hospitals can treat Covid-19 patients under Ayushman Bharat Scheme
Plea has also been made for the government to cover medical expense of people who are poor and not covered under any insurance planA bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde clarified that it is not asking all private hospitals to treat certain number of COVID-19 patients for free
PremiumNEW DELHI : The Supreme Court on Friday asked Centre, private hospitals if Covid-19 patients can be treated by them at the charges fixed under Ayushman Bharat scheme. The court has now fixed the matter for the final hearing after two weeks.
A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde clarified that it is not asking all private hospitals to treat certain number of COVID-19 patients for free.
Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for a healthcare federation in an intervening plea said that hospitals which have received land on concessional rates are already complying with the requirements.
“Anyone who has received land on concessional rates is providing free beds and treatment," Salve said.
Central government told the bench that it is doing its best for the lowest strata of society, and people who cannot afford treatment are covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
On the last date of hearing, The Supreme Court had asked the Central government to identify and prepare a list of hospitals where treatment to treat covid-19 patients can be given free of cost or at a minimum fee. The order was passed in a plea seeking regulation of covid-19 treatments costs across private and corporate hospitals in the country.
The petition, filed by Advocate Sachin Jain, had cited that as much as Rs12 Lakh is being asked for covid-19 treatment in certain private hospitals.
He has sought directions from the top court for the government to issue notification regarding nationwide cost regulations for covid-19 treatment at private hospitals.
As per the petitioner, the hospitals are commercially exploiting the patients and making a “fortune out of their miseries in an hour of national crisis."
Directions have also been sought for the private hospitals to treat covid-19 patients “pro-bono" in cases where the hospital has been built on public land or is categorized under “charitable institutions".
The petitioner pleads directions for the government to issue similar notification as issued earlier wherein a pricing cap was imposed for covid-19 testing at private labs. Similar cost regulation should be imposed for treatment as well, submitted the petitioner.
Plea has also been made for the government to cover medical expense of people who are poor and not covered under any insurance plan.
PTI contributed to this story
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