Avail treatment at specialty hospitals at municipal rates

In a relief for patients, they will now be able to avail treatment at super-specialty hospitals like Seven Hills at municipal rates. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in its new policy for hospitals that were given civic plots under public-private partnership (PPP), has made it compulsory for all patients to be treated at municipal rates only. Furthermore, the civic body had doubled reservation for poor patients from the existing 20 per cent to 40 per cent.

In the wake of last year’s controversy over hospitals running under the PPP model, the BMC has prepared new guidelines which allow it to turn super-specialty hospitals into for-profit. However, 40 per cent of beds are to be reserved for maternity home, pediatrics and neo-natal intensive care unit (ICU). The earlier policy necessitated that these hospitals operated only under reservation purpose that they had been allocated, with only 20 per cent beds required to be reserved as mandated by BMC. Under the new guidelines, even patients in super-specialty section will have to be provided healthcare services at municipal rates. The hospitals have also been allowed to avail government schemes like the Rajiv Gandhi Aarogya Yojana.

Dr Padmaja Keskar, executive health officer, BMC, said, “Hospitals operating under PPP model will have to use 40 per cent beds for reservation they have been allotted, whereas 60 per cent can be used for super specialty purpose. However, they have to treat their patients at municipal rates as the plot belongs to BMC.”

Last year, BMC’s PPP model was mired in controversy after it was found that 16 hospitals, allotted plots to run maternity centres, had turned into super-specialty hospitals. At the time, the civic body asked them to vacate the municipal premises for flouting civic norms. BMC’s PPP agreement with Seven Hills Hospital at Marol also came under the scanner with the hospital initially not agreeing to comply with conditions of 20 per cent beds for civic patients and provision of medicines as per municipal rates. Finally, however, the hospital relented and came in line with BMC norms. “The new policy will be implemented after getting the nod from the civic body. Tenders will be invited according to the new guidelines. Those who agree should bid for it,” said a senior civic official.