COVID-19: Hospitals refund money unduly charged from insured patients

Several of them pertained to the treatment of mucormycosis

The private hospitals in Rajasthan have refunded money to the tune of ₹36 lakh unduly charged from the patients insured under the State government’s flagship health scheme, the Chief Minister’s Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana, following an intervention by the Medical and Health Department. The universal health insurance scheme was launched here on May 1 this year. The hospitals empanelled under the scheme have refunded the claim amount in 267 cases. Several of them pertained to the treatment of mucormycosis or black fungus, which had emerged as a major threat in the middle of the second wave and was subsequently added to the list of permitted procedures. Health Assurance Agency chief executive officer Aruna Rajoria said here on Saturday more than 1.60 lakh people had already availed themselves of cashless treatment under the scheme. The complaints pertaining to the patients being unduly charged by the hospitals were being examined and refunds initiated, she said.