Hospital's Exorbitant Fees Leave Two Tribal Families No Choice but to Sell Assets, Patients Held Hostage

Rajasthan: Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Bima Yojana, a scheme, launched by the Government of Rajasthan, offers free health insurance coverage upto 10 lakh rupees for residents of the state. However, despite the scheme's existence, many poor people are forced to sell their land and assets to pay for their medical bills. Such was the case for two young men who were injured in an accident in Pratapgarh district. The hospital raised an exorbitant bill of 8.85 lakh rupees forcing the distressed family to sell their farms & jewellery . Despite making a payment of 5 lakh rupees, the hospital refused to discharge the patients over the unpaid amount and kept them trapped for more than 2 months. It was after the intervention of the Chief Medical and Health Officer that the youths could be discharged.

Ambulance driver's greed for commission

Sunil son of Asuram Bamnia and Bheru son of Jeevanlal, both residents of Kesarpura village in Peepalkhunt tehsil, were seriously injured in the accident in November . The Pratapgarh district hospital referred them to a hospital in Udaipur, but the private ambulance driver who transported them had different intentions. Instead of taking them to a hospital covered by the Chiranjeevi scheme, the driver took them to a private hospital and got them admitted there. The hospital's treatment bills for the two young men amounted to a staggering Rs. 8 lakh 85 thousand, and they did not receive any benefits from the Chiranjeevi scheme. Sunil and Bheru's families sold their land to pay Rs. 5 lakh of the bill, leaving them with an outstanding amount of Rs. 3 lakh 85 thousand. The hospital management refused to discharge the patients until the outstanding amount was paid.

The families of the patients were under tremendous stress, unable to pay the outstanding bills. They reached out to social workers Balu Bhil and Kesrimal Ninama for help. The workers tried to negotiate with the hospital authorities but the latter remained adamant on the outstanding bills. The workers then reached out to Dr. Shankar Bamnia, the Chief Medical and Health Officer of Udaipur, to seek assistance. Dr. Bamnia intervened immediately and reprimanded the hospital personnel.

Committee to make inquiry report

Speaking to TheMooknayak, CMHO Dr Shankar Bamnia said that the private hospital is not empaneled under the Chiranjivi scheme and hence when people from poor families happen to land there unknowingly, it is the hospital's duty to inform them about their right to access free treatment elsewhere.

" It was completely wrong on the part of the hospital , they should have referred the patients to any other hospital registered under the scheme. I have called for an inquiry in the case. A committee has been constituted , which will submit it's report in three days" Bamnia said. He also said that a government nursing staff called Surgyan Meena is being suspected since he was the main player behind detention of the patients and causing stress for the aggrieved families.

The incident highlights the challenges faced by poor families in India, who are often left with no choice but to sell their assets to pay for medical expenses. The Chiranjeevi scheme, which offers free health insurance coverage to families, is a step towards making healthcare more accessible and affordable to everyone. However, its effectiveness is limited by the lack of awareness among the public and the mismanagement of resources.