<p>The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in a plea seeking directions to the government to regulate COVID-19 treatment costs at all private and corporate hospitals.</p>.<p>The order was passed by a Bench of Chief Justice <strong>SA Bobde</strong> and Justice <strong>Aniruddha Bose</strong>.</p>.<p>Petitioner Advocate <strong>Sachin Jain</strong>, who appeared in-person, stated in his plea that private hospitals were charging around <em><strong>Rs 12 lakh</strong></em> for COVID-19 treatment in some cases.</p>.<p>The petition thus seeks nationwide cost regulation for treatment of COVID-19 patients at private or corporate hospitals.</p>.<p>The plea stated that the issue requires urgent consideration, as many private hospitals are commercially exploiting patients suffering from COVID-19<em> "to make a fortune out of their miseries in the hour of national crisis</em>”.</p>.<p>“<em>Most of these hospitals only charge exorbitantly for the room rent and PPE kits used by hospital staff,</em>” says the plea.</p>.<p>It has been prayed that the government, in exercise of its powers under Sections 6 and 10 of the <em>Disaster Management Act, 2005</em>, has in the recent past, regulated the cost of COVID-19 testing in the private health sector and made it applicable to states and union and territories. Likewise, the government can also regulate the cost of COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals, the plea contends.</p>.<p>The petitioner has also urged the Court to direct private hospitals that have been running on public land or running under the category of "charitable institutions" to treat COVID-19 patients either <em>pro bono publico </em>or on a non-profit basis.</p>.<p>Further, the plea prays that the government bear the cost of COVID-19 treatment for the poor or vulnerable at private hospitals and that it should identify "<em>private hospitals engaged in black marketing of the essential health services at the hour of national calamity</em>.”</p>.<p><strong>[Read order]</strong></p>
<p>The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in a plea seeking directions to the government to regulate COVID-19 treatment costs at all private and corporate hospitals.</p>.<p>The order was passed by a Bench of Chief Justice <strong>SA Bobde</strong> and Justice <strong>Aniruddha Bose</strong>.</p>.<p>Petitioner Advocate <strong>Sachin Jain</strong>, who appeared in-person, stated in his plea that private hospitals were charging around <em><strong>Rs 12 lakh</strong></em> for COVID-19 treatment in some cases.</p>.<p>The petition thus seeks nationwide cost regulation for treatment of COVID-19 patients at private or corporate hospitals.</p>.<p>The plea stated that the issue requires urgent consideration, as many private hospitals are commercially exploiting patients suffering from COVID-19<em> "to make a fortune out of their miseries in the hour of national crisis</em>”.</p>.<p>“<em>Most of these hospitals only charge exorbitantly for the room rent and PPE kits used by hospital staff,</em>” says the plea.</p>.<p>It has been prayed that the government, in exercise of its powers under Sections 6 and 10 of the <em>Disaster Management Act, 2005</em>, has in the recent past, regulated the cost of COVID-19 testing in the private health sector and made it applicable to states and union and territories. Likewise, the government can also regulate the cost of COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals, the plea contends.</p>.<p>The petitioner has also urged the Court to direct private hospitals that have been running on public land or running under the category of "charitable institutions" to treat COVID-19 patients either <em>pro bono publico </em>or on a non-profit basis.</p>.<p>Further, the plea prays that the government bear the cost of COVID-19 treatment for the poor or vulnerable at private hospitals and that it should identify "<em>private hospitals engaged in black marketing of the essential health services at the hour of national calamity</em>.”</p>.<p><strong>[Read order]</strong></p>
