PHC warns hospitals against extra charges from virus patients

LAHORE: The Punjab Healthcare Commission on Tuesday froze private hospital charges as of February 2020 for treating the Covid-19 patients, and directed the healthcare establishments to display the charges at their premises.

As per a letter issued to the private hospitals treating Covid-19 by the PHC, their administrations have been directed to display hospital rates, including all but not limited to per day charges of a bed/room of isolation area, high-dependency units, intensive care units, ventilator services and Injection Actemra (where this service is provided).

The hospitals have been directed to display the rate list on their websites and at prominent places of the healthcare establishments. Also, the PHC has frozen hospital charges of February 2020.

The PHC has warned hospitals against taking extra charges. “The PHC teams will be regularly visiting the hospitals, and stringent action will be taken against any hospital found violating these directions,” added a PHC spokesperson.