TV
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Sambalpur, has imposed a penalty of Rs 2 lakh on a private hospital for billing a patient for a CT (Computed Tomography) scan that was never performed. Vikash Multispecialty Hospital in Sambalpur has been ordered to compensate the complainant, Mahesh Munsi, with Rs 2 lakh.
The commission has also directed the hospital to pay legal expenses amounting to Rs 20,000.
In December 2023, Munsi, a resident of Jagannath Colony, Sambalpur, took his critically ill father to the Vikash hospital for treatment. Despite intensive care, his father tragically passed away three days later. The family received a bill totalling Rs 6,745, which included a charge for a CT scan among other medical tests.
Upon review, Munsi found that the CT scan report was missing. He approached the hospital for the report, but it was not produced. Consequently, he took the matter to the district consumer forum, which ruled in his favour. The hospital is required to refund the Rs 1,800 charged for the CT scan along with an annual interest of 7%.
“When I asked them for the report and bill of the tests, they failed to do so. They could not give me the bills or report of the CT scan. They made me run from pillar to post for six months. Finally, I approached the consumer commission and the judgment came out yesterday,” alleged Mahesh Munsi.
When contacted Jitendra Agarwal, Financial Consultant, Vikash Hospitals said, “As we cannot cancel our old bills, we had told them that we would adjust the amount in the final bill. Accordingly, they were given discount of more than Rs 11 lakh. We are waiting for the order copy and decide accordingly if we will file for a review or go to the higher court.”
