(a) whether the Government is aware that AIIMS has raised the present treatment charges eight fold;
(b) if so, the reasons therefor alongwith action taken in this regard;
(c) whether the Government has taken action to negate this unprecedented hike with immediate effect; and
(d) if not, the reasons therefor and way in which this hike is likely to affect the middle class people and general public?
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. ANBUMANI RAMADOSS)
(a)to(d): No, Sir. Though in some cases there has been some revision/rationalization of fees, the charges imposed on most of the common investigations have been kept at very reasonable levels and much lower than the charges prevalent in the market. In fact in a number of cases there has been a decrease in the charges. This is unlikely to put undue burden on poor patients since as per Standing Committee decision in the AIIMS, the AIIMS clinicians are authorized to grant exemption from payment of charges to such patients.