Karnataka Health Minister justifies revision of user fees in state-run hospitals

BENGALURU: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Thursday justified the upward revision of user fees in Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) affiliated hospitals, saying the hike was "minimum" without burdening the people.

User fees in the state-run Victoria, Minto, Vani Vilas, Super Speciality and Trauma and Emergency Care hospitals affiliated to BMCRI have been revised from November 1, for treatment, surgeries, blood tests, scans and other medical services.

"User fees were last decided several years ago, we have revised them 10 and 20 per cent in some cases. What was Rs 10, we have increased it to Rs 20 now and what was Rs 20 has been increased to Rs 40 or 50. There cannot be a comparison between the rates then to today's rates," Rao told reporters here.

He termed the increase as "minimum" without burdening the people.

"...these days if the government does anything, it is linked to the guarantee schemes and said that as there is no money with the government because of the guarantee schemes, so things are being done. I don't understand this. Weren't there revision in water and electricity bills earlier? Such increases have happened during earlier government's (tenure)...," he added.

While the charges of a single bed in a special ward have been increased from Rs 750 to Rs 2,000 per day, for twin-occupancy in special ward, they have been revised from Rs 750 to Rs 1,000, according to new rates.

Patients in these special wards will also have to pay additional hospital procedure charges, official sources said.

General ward charges have been increased from Rs 15 per day to Rs 50.

In-patient registration charges have been hiked from Rs 25 to 50, while in-patient bed charges per day is up from Rs 30 to 50. OPD registration charges have been hiked from Rs 10 to 20, the sources said.