Thursday, September 1, 2011

Govt Opposes Rs 50k Cap on Free Treatment of Poor

The Delhi government today turned down a proposal of private hospitals to provide free treatment to poor patients only up to billing amount of Rs 50,000 and sought a direction from the Supreme Court to prohibit them from putting any such cap.

It said the proposal for putting a ceiling "is not practicable" and totally "unacceptable".

In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the government informed the court that out of 37 hospitals, which were given land at subsidised rate, 27 are giving free treatment to the economically weaker section (EWS) of society but some have proposed a ceiling of the Rs 50,000 per patient.

"A perusal of their (hospital's) proposals reveals that they have agreed to provide free treatment to EWS patients free of cost subject to billing amount limit of Rs 50,000 per patient. This is totally against the letter and spirit of providing free treatment to poor patients.

"If the above proposal is to be accepted then many poor patients would be denied complete and full treatment for their illness and this would defeat the very aim and objective of providing free treatment to poor patients. A cap or ceiling of the Rs 50,000 per patient is not practicable. This is totally unacceptable to the government," the 11-page affidavit said.

It said that four hospitals -- Fortis Escort Heart Institute; Max Super Specialty, Saket; Max Super Specialty, IP Extension; and Bhagwati Hospital -- did not submit their representation in a meeting which was organised on the direction of the apex court to chart out a scheme for the implementation of the scheme for free treatment.

"It appears that they have fallen in line with the directions of the high court and also the policy of the government to serve the interest of EWS category of the society," the government said.

The affidavit was filed in compliance with the apex court order which had on August 25 had directed the government to file a detailed report after consultation with the hospitals.

It had asked the hospitals to sit with government authorities to sort out the issue and work out a scheme to treat the poor patients — 25 per cent outdoor and 10 per cent indoor — free of cost.

The government also informed the court that a five-member monitoring committee under the Director of Health Services has been formed for the implementation of the scheme.

The Delhi High Court had in 2007 ruled that all private hospitals that were granted public land at cheaper rates would provide free treatment to poor patients at the rate of 10 per cent in the indoor patient department (IPD) and 25 per cent in the outdoor patient department (OPD) of their total respective treatment capacities.

"They (poor patients) will be provided free admission, bed, medication, treatment, surgery facility, nursing facility and consumables and non-consumables. The hospitals charging any money from such patients shall be liable to be proceeded against in accordance with the law. Besides that, this would be treated as violation of the orders of the court," the high court had said.

The court had pronounced the judgment on a PIL seeking implementation of the land deed agreement entered into with these hospitals providing for, among other things, free treatment to certain percentage of poor patients out of their total treatment capacities.

Delhi Govt Officials to Pay Penalty For Delay in Service

Come September 15, Delhi government officials will have to pay financial penalty to applicants if they fail to deliver services within a time-frame, a move that comes in the backdrop of Anna Hazare's demand for a citizens' charter.

The reforms in delivery of services like issuance of driving license, ration card and registration of births and deaths in a time-bound manner has been initiated by city government as per provision of a legislation passed by Delhi Assembly in March.

The decision to implement the 'Delhi Right of Citizen to Time Bound Delivery of Services Act' comes close on the heels of Hazare's agitation demanding a Citizens' Charter for all government departments, providing details about services offered by them, the time limit and punishment for failing to provide the service.

The legislation fixes financial penalty in the range of Rs10 to Rs 200 per day for failing to deliver services while making it a right of every citizen to obtain time bound delivery of services from certain government agencies.

"The legislation will come into force from September 15. It will improve accountability and rid our system of irregularities," said a senior official.

The departments which have been included under the legislation are Revenue, Food and Civil Supplies, Transport and Trade and Taxes as well as civic agencies MCD and NDMC.

According to the legislation, a maximum penalty of Rs 5,000 can be imposed on officials for failing to deliver services. For deciding financial penalty, the legislation also provides for setting up "competent authority".

The legislation says for issuance of ration cards, it should not take more than 45 days while MCD and NDMC should not take more than seven working days for issuance of registration of birth and death certificates.

The Transport Department should not take more than one day to renew permanent driving license while learner's driving license should be issued on the same day of filing of the application.

The Act requires the selected departments to commit to service-level agreements (SLAs) declaring time-frame required to deliver services to the citizens.

The legislation basically aims at sensitising government servants towards the citizens and to enhance and imbibe a culture to deliver services within a stipulated period.

Officials said the government had written to Delhi Police to implement the legislation.