Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme [Echs] — Extra charges from admitted patients in discharge

Address: Adjutant Office Garud Flight

Sir, the hospitals are charging extra money on the name of consumables by the echs members on being discharged from the hospital. The charges are being taken for gloves, bedsheets, syringes, sanitizers and even the catheters that are part of the treatment. In case the patient is asking for any specific and special things that are not part of the treatment, like asking for extra sheets, extra gloves for attendant or any other comfort amenities then charging is understood. Wearing gloves by the doc and nursing staff and using syringes must be the part of the admission charges or treatment package. The patient must also be provided with a copy of the bill being sent to the echs for better transparency.

In addition, there is a provision of giving five days or a week's medicine at the time of discharge to the patient from the hospital to which he was admitted for unhindered continuation of the life saving medicines to him. However at Ahmedabad, the HCG Cancer hospital is charging for the medicines in case the prescribed medicines price is going beyond Rs. 2000/- in total. The money after deducting RS. 2000/- is being charged from the patient. This point is also not understood. Kindly initiate necessary actions for the redressal of the same.