Issues including standardised medical billing by private hospitals, farmers’ suicide in Maharashtra and inclusion of some languages spoken by tribal communities in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution figured on Thursday in the Rajya Sabha.
Raising the matter of billing during the Zero Hour, BJP MP K Laxman urged the Government to ensure transparent and standardised medical billing, as he raised concerns over “exploitation practices” by private hospitals.
He said in the absence of norms, many families are pushed into hardship due to medical bills. “There is a rise in exploitative practices by certain private corporate hospitals. Reports from patients, civil society and consumer bodies point to a disturbing pattern of unnecessary diagnostic tests, unwanted prolonged hospital stays with no clinical justification, and opaque billing processes,” Laxman said.
“Absence of transparent norms leaves people with little choice, pushing many families into hardship. Reports highlight they charge Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 as OPD, which is not covered under schemes like Ayushman Bharat,” he said.
NCP-SCP MP Fauzia Khan said as many as 766 farmers have committed suicide in Maharashtra in the last three months, and questioned when farmers will “become dear to the Government”.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, she said Maharashtra leads the country in farmer suicides, with the state Government informing the Assembly about the 766 deaths in three months. Of these, 676 families received Government aid, while 200 were denied assistance, she said.
Khan said despite the announcement of a Rs 31,628-crore relief package following heavy rains and widespread floods this year, the ground reality was different. She pointed out that Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had told the Lok Sabha that the ministry received no proposal from Maharashtra seeking additional aid.
