‘Reimburse pvt hospitals in three months’

Chennai: The Madras high court on Friday directed the Puducherry government to reimburse the private hospitals in three months that provided free Covid treatment as per the directions of the administration in the Union territory.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy in their interim orders directed that the entire bills be reimbursed to the hospitals within three months. The bench was hearing a plea by a citizen who alleged that private hospitals have been demanding fee from patients despite being funded by the government.

When the petition came up for hearing, the counsel for the private hospitals informed the court that though they have been earmarked for exclusive Covid-19 Treatment by the government, no money was reimbursed from the government despite providing all the bills and vouchers.

An amount of 2.9 crore that was utilised for the treatment of all the Covid infected patients has been pending with the Union Territory administration, the counsel stated to which the government counsel responded that the bills are being scrutinised and there is a necessary time lag in the process.