On Friday, 1 st May 2020, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope announced 100 percent free treatment to COVID-19 patients under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Health Insurance Scheme. Maharashtra is the first state to give this offer for COVID-19 patients. Tope clarified that earlier 85 % of the people i.e. those who have orange and yellow ration cards were under this scheme. Now the remaining 15% i.e. those with white ration cards and government officials will also be given this health insurance cover for COVID – 19. Tope said, “We got a complaint that private hospitals were charging Rs 1 lakh per day for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The hospitals will charge only as per government rates irrespective of the size and facilities of the ward or room”

Tope said, “Medical treatment and surgery will also be done. There were earlier 496 hospitals in the scheme now more than 1000 private hospitals have been added. In Spite of the government regulation, Nanavati Hospital, a private hospital in Mumbai gave a bill of Rs. 16 lakh to the family of a 74-year-old person who died of COVID – 19. The person’s son said that it is not possible for any middle-class family to afford treatment of 1 lakh per day and that the bill is a huge shock to us. Many families have complained of private hospitals making a huge profit for COVID – 19 treatments. 

Tags

• Rajesh
• Tope
• COVID-19
• Treatment

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