State planning to form grievance redressal forum for patients

The Bombay high court made a suggestion to city hospitals on Wednesday that if any person who is not insured gets admitted in a particular hospital, then that hospital should ensure that the patient gets insurance so that the insurance company would pay his bill and there would be no dispute that arises between the patient and the hospital.

The state government on Wednesday told the high court that it is planning to constitute a grievance redressal forum, wherein patients who are illegally detained by hospitals can file their complaints, with hospitals also being able to file complaints if any patient is not ready to pay his or her bills.

On Wednesday, the court asked the state government to bring all the hospitals in the city within the purview of state laws and impose restrictions on hospitals that take the extreme step of detaining patients.

A division bench of Justice V.M. Kanade and Justice Swapana Joshi was hearing two public interest litigations (PILs) regarding the illegal detention of patients who had failed to pay their hospital bills. One petition, filed by Trevor Britto, alleged that Prachin Healthcare Multi-Specialty Hospital at Panvel had refused to discharge an injured bus driver due to non-payment of bills.

The other petition was filed by a Santa Cruz resident who had alleged that Seven Hills Hospital in Marol had refused to discharge his brother for not paying dues to the tune of `1.8 lakh. Both hospitals have refuted the allegations.

On Wednesday, the petitioner’s lawyer brought to the notice of the court that the central government is thinking of expanding the span of national health insurance schemes. The court said it appreciates the steps that the central government has taken.

The court further directed the petitioner to make the insurance regulatory development authority a party to the case.

The high court also posted October 20 as the next date of hearing.