LPG cap to up your hospital bills Higher costs of non-subsidised cylinders will have to be recovered from patients

LPG cap to up your hospital bills

Higher costs of non-subsidised cylinders will have to be recovered from patients

You will soon have to shell out more money on hospitalisation charges, as hospitals claim the Central government’s policy on putting a cap on the number of subsidised LPG cylinders will burn a hole in their pockets unless they increase their tariffs. As per the policy, in a year, only six LPG cylinders will be available at Rs425 each, and after that, every non-subsidised cylinder will cost Rs906. The government’s attempts to shore up revenues through LPG sales has come as bolt from the blue for many in the medical sector, such as nursing homes and hospitals. The Association of Hospitals (AOH) — an umbrella body of more than 40 private charitable hospitals in the city including Bombay Hospital, Breach Candy, Hinduja and Jaslok — is planning to increase its tariffs from next month. “The increased cost of non-subsidised cylinders will be recovered from patients through their medical bills,” said Pramod Lele, president of the AOH and the CEO of Hinduja Hospital. The AOH has scheduled its monthly meeting for October 30. “During this meeting, we will discuss this issue, and our decision will be applicable to all hospitals connected to our association. We have no other option but to increase tariffs, because the cost of non-subsidised cylinders is going to affect our hospital budget at the end of the day,” Lele said. “The increase in the tariff card will vary from hospital to hospital,” he added. Dr Manoj Gandhi, secretary of the Bombay Nursing Home Association, of which 1,200 nursing homes are part, said smaller hospitals will be forced to close down. “As far as nursing homes are concerned, the more stringent the laws become, the more difficult it will be for them to run by maintaining the same quality at an affordable price.” Kastubh Kadam, a resident of Grant road says, “Already, private hospitals charge high amounts for medical services. Now, they have yet another reason to increase hospitalisation charges. Hospitals and the government should seriously think about this because at the end of the day, it is the middle class that suffers.” Suresh Shetty, health minister for the state, said, “It is a policy of the central governmentt. I am not getting any representation from the hospitals’ association in this connection.” “Every year, we conduct a review of different policies that affect the hospital budget. If the cost of non-subsidised cylinders is unaffordable, then we will definitely increase our tariffs. But if we can bear the costs, then we will continue with the current tariffs,” said N Santhanam, CEO, Breach Candy Hospital.