Kolkata: The Apollo Multispecialty Hospital Kolkata on Monday told the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) that the hospital was not bound to abide by a health panel directive asking it to refund Rs 5,800 for overcharging on consumables and medicines.
In this case, Pritam Saha had moved the health panel against the hospital.Saha’s relative underwent a planned surgery covered by insurance. The total bill was Rs 3.2 lakh, of which the TPA approved Rs 2.3 lakh and the rest was paid in cash.
Health panel chairperson Ashim Kumar Banerjee said the panel found that the hospital had not offered discount on consumables and some pharmacy items where the health panel earlier had advised discount of 20% and 10% on medicines and consumables and asked the hospital to refund Rs 5,800.
The chairperson said that the hospital replied that the Calcutta High Court earlier had said that the commission's order was not binding. Banerjee said, “The HC ruling was only for fixing of rates and not on the discount and also that the commission had approached the HC division bench where the matter is pending.”
According to sources, there is no stay of the order.