The Kerala government has fixed the rates of treatments for COVID-19 patients in private hospitals in the state in order to avoid exploitation and overcharging.

The new charges were fixed in an order issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department on May 10.

The new rates will include the charges for almost all treatment components, right from registration and doctors' charges to oxygen cylinders and post-discharge diagnostic tests.

The order also states that all hospitals should publish the rates of various treatments, consumables, medicines, doctors and nursing in a such way that these could be easily seen.

Any instance of overcharging could be sent to the district medical officer.

Here are the new rates:

Bed Category: General Ward

Rates per Day (Non-NABH): Rs 2,645

Rates per Day (NABH): Rs 2,910

Bed Category: HDU (High Dependency Units)

Rates per Day (Non-NABH): Rs 3,795

Rates per Day (NABH): Rs 4,175

Bed Category: ICU (Intensive Care Unit)

Rates per Day (Non-NABH): Rs 7,800

Rates per Day (NABH): Rs 8,580

Bed Category: ICU with ventilator

Rates per Day (Non-NABH): Rs 13,800

Rates per Day (NABH): Rs 15,180

Inclusions

• Registration charges

• Bed charges

• Nursing and boarding charges

• Surgeons, Anaesthetists, Medical Practitioner, Consultant charges

• Anaesthesia, blood transfusion, oxygen

• Medicines and drugs

• Pathology and radiology tests: Medical procedures include essential radiological imaging and diagnostic tests such as X-ray, USG, Hematology, pathology etc.

• Pre and post hospitalization expenses: Expenses incurred for consultation, diagnostic tests and medicines before admission of the patient in the same hospital and cost of diagnostic tests and medication up to 15 days after discharge from the hospital for the same ailment

Exclusions

• High-end investigations like C.T. Chest/HRCT Chest

• PPE kits

• Costly medications like Remdesivir and Tocilizumab

(NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers) is a constituent board of Quality Council of India, set up to establish and operate accreditation programme for healthcare organisations.)