After allegation of 'overcharging' by private hospital, Nadda seeks details

New Delhi: Union Health Minister J P Nadda has taken note of alleged overcharging by a Gurgaon-based private hospital from family members of a patient, who reportedly died of dengue recently.

A Twitter user @DopeFloat in a post on a microblogging site alleged that the hospital “charged Rs 18 lakh” for 15 days of treatment of dengue for a young daughter of his friend.

The tweet later went viral on social media. “One of my batchmate’s 7 year old was in @fortis_hospital for ~15 days for Dengue. Billed 18 lakhs including for 2700 gloves. She passed away at the end of it…,” he tweeted.

After the post was widely circulated on social media, the Union health minister on twitter said: “Please provide me details on hfwminister@gov.in . We will take all the necessary action.”  Meanwhile, Fortis hospital in a statement claimed that “all standard medical protocols were followed in treating the patient and all clinical guidelines were adhered to”.

“She was admitted with Severe Dengue which progressed to Dengue shock syndrome and was managed on IV fluids and supportive treatment as there was a progressive fall in platelet count and hemoconcentration. “As her condition deteriorated, she had to be put on ventilatory support within 48 hours,” the hospital said in a statement.

On September 14, the family decided to “take her away from the hospital against medical advice (LAMA Leave Against Medical Advice) and she succumbed the same day,” it said. The hospital said an itemised bill “spread over 20 pages was explained and handed over to the family” at the time of their departure from the hospital. All consumables are transparently reflected in records and charged as per actuals, it claimed.