Lok Sabha Question No. 1932 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-30
Subject: Exorbitant COVID Treatment charges
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Raghu Ramakrishna Raju Kanumuru

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED Q. No 1932 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30. 7.2021

## EXORBITANT COVID TREATMENT CHARGE

## 1932 SHRI KANUMURU RAGHU RAMA : KRISHNA RAJU:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- a) whether the attention of the Government has been drawn to the fact that Coronavirus af patients have been running into debts due to exorbitant treatment charges by hospitals;
- b) if so, the details thereof;
- c) whether  the  Government  has  any  plan  of providing  any  financial  assistance  to  the  life -threatening corona virus affected patients similar to that provided to patients suffe cancer and other chronic diseases; and
- d) if so, the reaction of the Government thereon?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE ( DR .BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR )

(a) to (d): Health is a state subject. Government of India has provided the required support  and  has  also  supported  the  states  through  logistic  and  financial support  to  further strengthen the existing health infrastructure to tackle COVID - 19 pandemic.

Presently, COVID - 19 treatment is provided free of cost in all Government facilities. a view to augment available COVID dedicated health infrastructure, Uni on Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued advisory to all States/UTs to consider engaging private ho for COVID-19 management. Rates under PM - JAY and CGHS packages were also communicated for guidance to the states.

Ayushman Bharat PM- JAY health assurance scheme provides health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to over 10.74 crores vulnerable  families  (approximately  50  crore  beneficiaries).  Packages  for  'Testing  for  COVID -19'  and  'Treatment  of  COVID -19'  were  also  notified  on  4th  April  2020.  Beneficiaries  of Ayushman  Bharat  PM- JAY  can  avail  free  treatment  of  COVID - 19  as  well  as  post - COVID related complications including Mucormycosis, etc. under the scheme.

Some  of  the  ongoing  in itiatives  from  Union  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  to support states towards strengthening their C OVID related healthcare infrastructure include:

- A three - tier arrangement of dedicated COVID - 19 health facilities [(i ) COVID Care Center (CCC); (ii) Dedicated COVID Health Centre (DCHC) and (iii) Dedicated COVID Hospital (DCH)] has been implemented in the country to reduce the risk of cross infection to -COVID patients as well as to maintain continuity of non - COVID es sential health services in the country.
- Government  of  India  has  roped  in  tertiary  care  hospitals  under  other  ministri supplement the hospital facilities. Further, many large temporary treatment faciliti established by DRDO to manage surge in C OVID - 19 cases in the country. The isolation bed capacity and ICU bed capacity was also enhanced continuously.
- The daily liquid medical oxygen (LMO) supply was increased by enhancement of LMO production in steel plants as well as in other LMO plants.
- Onlin e  digital  solutions  viz.  Oxygen  Demand  Aggregation  system  (ODAS)  and  Oxygen Digital Tracking System (ODTS) have been developed to ascertain the demand for medica oxygen from all medical facilities and to track their transportation.
- To generate oxygen at the health facility level, PSA plants are being established in district hospitals to reduce the burden on the medical oxygen supply grid across the c
- Further, to fast - track the availability of Medical Oxygen in rural and peri - urban areas, more than 39,000 oxygen concentrators have been allocated to various States.
- A  COVID  Drugs  Management  Cell  (CDMC)  has  been  set  up  in  the  Department  of Pharmaceuticals  (DoP)  to  oversee  the  management  of  smooth  supply  of  drugs  used  i COVID - 19 management.
- Actio n is initiated at the National level to augment production of critical drugs i import besides support in terms of equitable distribution of the critical supplies.
- All States/UT and State Drugs Controllers have been requested to verify stock of the drug and check other malpractices and take effective steps to curb hoarding and black mark of Remdesivir.

Union  Government  has  provided  financial  support  to  States/UTs  for  ramping  up  Healt Infrastructure and support all aspects of management of CO VID - 19.

- During  the  F.Y.  2019 -20,  funds  to  the  tune  of  Rs.1113.21  crore  was  released  to  th States/UTs under NHM.

- In September 2020, the Union Government allowed the states to spend maximum 35% of annual  allocation  of  funds  under  SDRF  for  the  financial  year  2019 - 20.  The  ceiling  was further enhanced to 50% during the financial years 2020 - 21 and 2021 - 22 for containment measures of COVID - 19.
- During  the  FY  2020 - 21,  funds  to  the  tune  of  Rs.8257.88  crore  has  been  released  to  t States/UTs  towards  the  India  COVID - 19  Emergency  Response  and  Health  System Preparedness Package.
- In  addition,  'India  COVID - 19  Emergency  Response  &Health  System  Preparedness Package: Phase -II' has also been approved by the Cabinet with Rs 23,123 crores (with Rs. 15,000  Cr  as  Central  Component  &  Rs  8,123  Cr  as  State  component)  and  is  to  be implemented from 1st July 2021 to 3 1 ' March 2022.
- Further, u nder the National COVID Vaccination Program, Government of India is procuring vaccines and providing them free of cost to States and UTs. As on 25th July 2021, a t about 44.91 crore doses have been supplied to States/UTs from all sources i.e Govern ent of  India's  Covid  vaccine  supply  free  of  cost  to  all  States/UTs,  State/UTs  and  Private Hospitals procured Covid vaccine.