To
Honorable Sri K. Chandrashekar Rao,
Chief Minister,
Government of Telangana, India

Sub : Include COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals under Aarogyasri scheme.

Due to rampage of Covid – 19 second wave, the poor and needy in Telangana are unable to afford the medical treatment and running from pillar to post for financial assistance and treatment at Government and private / corporate hospitals.

Several Covid-19 patients who didn’t get an admission at Government hospitals, the patient families are trying to admit the patients at various private/corporate hospitals for better treatment.

Private hospitals are taking advantage of patient’s critical situation and charging them in lakhs in the name of treatment. They are thoroughly violating the law (G.O.Rt.No.248) laid in by the Telangana Government.

G.O.Rt.No.248 was released by Telangana Government on 15th June 2020, and after few days i.e on 6th July 2020 It has released “discreetly” a Government Order G.O Rt No 281, for amending GO 248 issued earlier that had fixed a price cap on treatment and testing for Covid-19 in private hospitals.

As per the amended version of the GO 248, the GO 281 mentions that the price cap does not apply to patients who subscribe to insurance as mode of payment.

The GO says, “The rates are not applicable to patients subscribing insurance schemes, as well as patients being treated under various agreements/MoUs, entered into the hospitals and different sponsored groups or corporate entities.”

In Telangana Covid-19 patients are paying more than 40% treatment costs from out of pocket (OOP), inspite health insurance ( Source : Gen. Insurance Council (GIC)

The existing GOs are not comprehensive and they don’t include several critical tests and treatments required for Covid treatment. There are several Public Interest Litigations (PIL) filed in Telangana high court about Covid-19 treatment and how private hospitals exploiting patients by charging excessive billing. Honorable Telangana High Court also has taken a serious view of the issue and asked the government to issue a fresh GO fixing the cap on COVID-19 tests and treatment.

After receiving several complaints on hospital about excessive charging from patients, Telangana Government issued show cause notices to hospitals on whom complaints received, and for 27 hospitals (as on 1st June, 2021) Covid-19 treatment license revoked as well.

There are several cases circulating in social media, how few corporate / private hospitals are harassing patients to pay more money in the name of Covid-19 treatment. They are repeatedly violating the laws and we are requesting honorable Telangana Chief Minister Sir, to take a strict action on these Covid Vultures.

In the month of May 2021, one of the private hospital in Hyderabad charged 23 Lakh Rupees for Covid-19 treatment from the patient.

In few cases private / corporate hospitals giving treatment estimations in lakhs, where the patients are unable to bare the treatment cost, going to crowdfunding platforms to raise money for their treatment cost. (There is one case where one of the hospital gave 73 Lakh rupees as treatment cost estimation)

Imagine the plight of the poor and needy who does not have any medical insurance or any financial savings especially during this Covid-19 pandemic time, how would they can able to afford the treatment?

In twitter one of the user Asad Hussain  went out his anger, frustration as follows “ Every Pvt Hospital in Hyderabad are forcing poor people either to sell their jewellery or their houses just to pay their hospital bills and our Telangana govt is so helpless that they cannot take any kind of hospitals against them. What is the meaning in issuing such GO's.

Several social activists and individuals have filed several petitions in Telangana High court regarding the loot of corporate hospitals in the name of Covid-19 treatment and price capping of the same.

After several rebukes by the Telangana High Court, the state Health, Medical and Family Welfare Department on 22nd June 2021, issued a fresh Government Order    (G.O.Rt.No.401) fixing the ceiling for rates chargeable by private hospitals and private laboratories for investigations and other services pertaining to COVID-19.

Even the new G.O.Rt.No.401 is also having the same limitations of earlier G.O.Rt.No.281. The rates as per new G.O.Rt.No.401 are not applicable to the patients subscribing insurance scheme as well as patients being treated under various agreements/MoUs entered into the hospitals and different sponsored groups or corporate entities.

Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in Telangana, several political parties, social, human rights activists demanded honorable Telangana Chief Minister to include COVID-19 treatment in Aarogyasri scheme.

Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka) MLA (Mulug) Telangana, Venkat Balmoor President, NSUI Telangana, several NSUI Leaders and activists who did a hunger strike for two days (April 26, 27, 2021) at Indira Park, Hyderabad demanding Telangana Chief Minister to include Covid-19 treatment in Aarogyasri scheme.

Social Activist Kota Shyam Kumar did protest (April 24, 2021) in front of Gandhi Hospital and demand to include Covid-19 treatment in Aarogyasri scheme or admit KCR in Gandhi Hospital.

YS Sharmila several times demanded Telangana Chief Minister to Include Covid -19 treatment in Aarogyasri scheme.

A young little girl Mudraboyina Niharika holding placard showing the quote as "కరోనాను ఆరోగ్యశ్రీలో చేర్చాలని నిరసన దీక్ష" demanded Telangana Chief Minister to include Covid-19 treatment in Aarogyasri Scheme. 

Telangana Congress party leaders Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka) Ponnam Prabhakar Uttam Kumar Reddy and Dasoju Sravan Kumar have already demanded Telangana Chief Minister to include Covid-19 treatment in Arogyasri scheme.

We have started this Change.org petition in solidarity to all those who are demanding Telangana Government to include Covid-19 treatment in Aarogyasri scheme.

Telangana Chief Minister during first wave of Covid – 19 has announced that the Government would soon take a decision to include  COVID-19 treatment under Aarogyasri scheme.

On May 18th 2021 Telangana Chief Minister announced the decision to join the Central Government’s #AyushmanBharat Scheme i.e. PM Jana Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).

The Telangana government and National Health Authority (NHA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) in the state with immediate effect.

The Ayushman Bharat scheme has been integrated with the existing state scheme ‘Aarogyasri’, and the the programme will now be called Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana -  Aarogyasri. 

The merger of Telangana government’s Aarogyasri Health Scheme and Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Scheme has increased the maximum health protection to ₹5 lakh per year.

Telangana BJP President Bandi Sanjay Kumar welcomed Telangana Government decision to join #AyushmanBharat scheme, however he also demanded Telangana Chief Minister to include Covid-19 treatment in Aarogyasri Scheme then only it will be beneficial for the people of Telangana.

On 30th August 2021, Telangana Government has taken a decision and announced to include Covid-19 treatment under Aarogyasri scheme, limited to govt. hospitals. 

We are requesting Telangana Government to take immediate measures to include Covid-19 treatment in private hospitals under Aarogyasri Scheme as early as possible in view of expected third wave of Covid-19.

We are expecting that honorable Chief Minister Sri K.Chandra Shekar Rao garu to take a decision in the favor of poor and needy and include Covid-19 treatment in private hospitals under Aarogyasri scheme immediately.

Jai Telangana.
Jai Hind.