Auditors put brakes on excess billing

KOLHAPUR: The auditors examining bills issued to Covid-19 patients at private hospitals have disallowed 298 bills worth Rs 18 lakh in

Kolhapur district

, around 139 worth Rs 7.95 lakh in Sangli and 680 worth Rs 52 lakh in Solapur.

In some cases, the bills were audited after payment but in most cases, the bills are pre-audited.

The authorities have found that the bills did not have the receipts of the medicines and other services provided. In some cases, the amount for the service charged was more than the amount capped by the state government. The authorities claimed that notices are being issued to the hospitals for the faulty bills.

Sangli collector Abhijeet Chaudhari said, “If the hospitals fail to refund the excess amount to relatives or fail to provide corrected bills, they will have to face action. At each hospital, it is mandatory to display the

capped charges

for the services. The relatives can first self-audit the bills and then refer to the auditors if they find it doubtful.”

The auditors check for nursing, ICU charges, room rent, doctors consultations, medicines, tests, oxygen etc. Recently, it was found that the hospitals charge higher than the procurement price for PPE kits and charge separately for each patient.

“The charges for PPE kits are fixed. The charges should be divided among the patients admitted in hospital,” said Chaudhari.

The decision to pre-audit the bills was taken after the administration received several complaints about private hospitals charging exorbitant bills for

Covid-19 treatment

.

In case of the private hospitals empanelled under the

Mahatma Phule

Jan Arogya Yojana, a panel of auditors under district coordinators has been appointed. The treatment under the scheme is free.