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CAA move to monitor private hospitals may bring down charges
View(s):The Consumer Affairs Authority’s move to monitor private hospitals is expected to bring down the cost of medical expenses for patients, a senior official said.
CAA Director Rohan Meewanage, who is in charge of pricing and management, said the decision to monitor private hospitals was taken following complaints that several private hospitals were charging exorbitant rates for channeling doctors, medical tests and in-house treatment
He said the CAA would meet private hospital officials soon to discuss the new move with the aim of regulating charges. In June this year, the CAA brought in regulations requiring private hospitals to issue detailed bills to in-house patients.
In terms of the gazette notification no. 1918/17, the regulations were to come into effect from November 1, but the enforcement was delayed pending public awareness campaigns, Mr. Meewanage said.
He said the CAA was planning to hold awareness programmes, including workshops in private hospitals, informing the public of the measures to be introduced.
Mr. Meewanage said the new measures required private hospitals performing medical tests to display rates for public view.
This would not only enable patients to get tests done in hospitals that offered the lowest rate, but also compel hospitals to reduce charges due to open competition, he said.
The CAA will hold talks with the Health Ministry’s Private Health Services Regulatory Council tomorrow to stress on the importance of enforcing the new regulations, which among other matters, call for legal action against any private hospital that does not issue detailed bills to patients before they are discharged.
The detailed bill should include information on the drugs administered, vitamins given together with their brand and generic names, the quantity administered and the cost.
The bill should also specify the devices used in treatment, their quantity and costs. (CC)