New Delhi. The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Center on a petition raising the issue of determining the fees charged from patients in hospitals. The top court is hearing a petition which said that Rule 9 of the Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules 2012 should not be implemented. These rules relate to the registration and operating conditions of clinical establishments.
Rule 9 provides that every clinical establishment shall charge fees for each type of medical treatment and services within the limits of fees prescribed by the Central Government from time to time in consultation with the State Governments. During the hearing, the bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehta asked how the fee can be fixed. The bench said, ‘It all depends on market forces. A particular doctor may charge Rs 10,000, another may charge Rs 1,000.
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The bench has also said that this may encourage collection of fees in a confidential manner. The bench said, ‘We will issue a notice in this matter.’ The bench said that the petition will be heard along with another pending petition, which has sought direction to the Center to determine the fees to be charged from patients as per Rule 9 of the 2012 Rules. The matter will now be heard on September 10.
During the hearing of the petition in February this year, the top court had said that the petitioner’s counsel had submitted that the Center had notified the charges applicable to hospitals empaneled in the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and until a solution is found, Till then the government can notify the said fee as an interim measure.
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Tags: Medical, Supreme Court
FIRST PUBLISHED: April 29, 2024, 23:36 IST