The BSE Healthcare index was the top loser among sectoral indices, down 1.6 per cent intra-day, led by losses in Max Healthcare, which tumbled 8.6 per cent to a one-month low.
Medanta, Rainbow Children Medicare, Shalby, Apollo Hospitals, Fortis Healthcare and newly listed GPT Healthcare fell 2-8 per cent in intra-day trade on BSE.
Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by NGO ‘Veterans Forum for Transparency in Public Life’, the Supreme Court slammed the centre on Wednesday for failing to specify the range of rates within which private hospitals can charge for their treatment services, reported LiveLaw.
This is in light of the wide disparity between treatment and service costs charged by private and government hospitals. As per Times of India, a cataract surgery could cost up to Rs 10,000 per eye in a govt hospital and Rs 30,000-1,40,000 in a private facility.
If the Centre fails to do so, the court said it would consider the NGO’s suggestion to notify the standardised rates applicable to the CGHS-empanelled hospitals as an interim measure.
First Published: Feb 29 2024 | 2:14 PM IST