Lucknow, February 16 Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said on Monday that the licenses of 178 private hospitals in the state were cancelled, of which the licenses of 59 hospitals were revived after a hearing.
Responding to a supplementary question by Atul Pradhan of the Samajwadi Party regarding the number of complaints received against private hospitals in the state and the action taken against them, Pathak said, "Around 500 complaints were received against private hospitals, and we had cancelled the licenses of 1678 hospitals. After cancelling the licenses, the hospitals appealed to an authority, which revived the licenses of 59 hospitals after hearing."
Pathak also informed the House that FIRs have been registered against 281 hospitals, which were operating while allegedly violating the norms. In addition, 533 hospitals were "seized".
"We have also issued notices to 1542 hospitals, stating that they should improve themselves," Pathak, who also holds the Medical Health portfolio, said.
In a starred question, Pradhan had sought to know whether the government has any plans to curb the excessive billing by private hospitals in the state, to bring uniformity in the rates of doctors' consultation fees and various medical tests and to prevent their "arbitrary increases".
In a written reply, Pathak said, "There is no policy by the state government to fix the consultation fees of private doctors and the rates of various medical tests etc in the state and to ensure uniformity and prevent arbitrary increase in them.
"The facility of free treatment (including medical consultation and medicines) is being made available to the general public in various hospitals established by the state government."
Under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), Ayushman Card holders are provided free medical treatment up to a limit of Rs 5 lakh as per prescribed packages in government and private hospitals and senior citizens above 70 years of age are provided medical benefits under the Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana.