Shimla, Feb 10,
In the backdrop of the Union government’s decision to withdraw the Revenue Deficit Grant to Himachal Pradesh, healthcare services at the state’s premier hospital IGMC have hike fee, raising concerns that the financial burden of basic services is increasingly being shifted onto patients. The Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS) of has approved a steep hike in user charges, making treatment at the largest tertiary care institution in the state more expensive for the common public. #IGMC fee hike.
The decisions were taken at an RKS meeting chaired by Health Minister . Local MLA , Mayor , and other members of the committee were also present.
Among the key decisions is a substantial increase in charges for special wards at IGMC. Patients opting for a single special ward will now have to pay Rs 2,000 per day, compared to Rs 1,500 earlier. Charges for shared special wards have been raised from Rs 750 to Rs 1,000 per day. This revision is expected to significantly increase the cost of hospitalisation for patients seeking relatively better facilities. #IGMC fee hikeDiagnostic services have also become dearer. The RKS approved revised rates for MRI and PET scans, citing rising operational costs and the need for better upkeep of sophisticated equipment. Under the new rate structure, patients will have to pay Rs 10,000 for a PET scan at IGMC. MRI charges have been fixed under different categories and will now range between Rs 2,700 and Rs 4,000#IGMC fee hike.
In another revenue-augmenting measure, all shopkeepers and vendors operating within the IGMC premises will now be required to deposit five percent of their annual turnover with the RKS. In addition, a slip charge of Rs 10 has also been approved. Hospital authorities maintain that these steps are necessary to strengthen the financial health of the RKS and to ensure better maintenance of hospital resources.
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The RKS also cleared proposals related to its employees, including implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission and grant of regular pay scales to employees who have completed eight years of service. These proposals will be sent to the state government for approval.
The Health Minister assured that pending payments under the Him Care and Ayushman Bharat schemes would be cleared soon so that beneficiaries do not face difficulties in availing treatment. However, with user charges rising across services, the latest decisions are being viewed as inflationary, particularly at a time when the state is grappling with a financial crunch following the withdrawal of central revenue support.
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