Patient with COVID-19 accuses top hospital of overcharging him

The patient

A resident of South Mumbai has accused the Wockhardt Hospital at Agripada of overcharging him for the treatment of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The hospital has refuted the allegation, stating they have followed the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in charging the patient.

The COVID-19 patient told mid-day he got himself admitted at Wockhardt Hospital in South Mumbai on April 29 and paid a deposit of R50,000. On May 4, the day he was to be discharged, he received a bill of R1,37,946 from the hospital. He has a cashless insurance policy and applied for the claim.

"The company approved a payment of R70,687 towards his claim. I had to pay the remaining R67,259. As I had already paid a deposit of R50,000 at the time of admission, I was under the impression that I only have to pay the difference amount of R17,259. However, I was shocked when the hospital asked me to pay R50,000 again, saying I will get the refund in 35-45 days," he said.

The patient said he was discharged by the night of May 4 only after he paid the additional R50,000. "It is troublesome for anyone to arrange such an amount amid the lockdown when your family cannot come to the hospital for help. My family, too, could not be there as they were all in home quarantine," he added.

However, he had to return to the hospital the same night after developing complications. "After reaching home, I started having breathing issues, so I returned to Wockhardt." The patient said he had to again pay the R50,000 deposit when he got readmitted.

The hospital in a statement stated, "It is surprising that the patient without discussing the matter with the hospital has reached out to the media. As an SOP, before admission, all patients are made aware of costs that is explained to the patient and/or caregiver.

"A similar exercise has been followed with this patient too. At times, without any precedent of actual payment by the insurance company under which the patient is covered, some amount is withheld for adjustment. All balance money is refunded in a stipulated time frame. Surprisingly, the said patient is readmitted at the hospital after making these grievances."

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