India Talks

APOLLO HOSPITAL, NOIDA; INDIA

I recently had an awful experience at Apollo Hospital at Noida, India.
I admitted my wife for a surgery on Nov 22, 2009 at this Hospital. We were asked what type of room? I asked what I will have to pay, if we select semi-private room. I explained to the Billing department head, Manish; that our Insurance coverage is linked to our room rate. He said that we will have to pay only the difference in room rate charged at Rs.2,300 minus Rs. 1,500 paid by Insurance co (Total of Rs. 2,400 for 3 days) . Manish told me that we will have such problem on other charges, only if we opt for private room. Our doctor even discussed this with the COO Dr D Sharma of Apollo Noida. Our doctor told me that COO had said it is OK.

I had asked Billing Department to bill the Ins company at Rs. 1,500 room rate, so there will be no problem with the “Final Bill” at the time of discharge. He said that there will be no such problem.

When I saw the Final Bill sent by Billing Dept on 25 Nov, 2009; I pointed out that it was showing the rate of Rs. 2,300. Manish again reassured me that there will be no problem, but I will have to pay for non-medical items. He told me that I will have to pay Rs. 6,926. At the time of discharge at 10:30pm on that day, after the Insurance Co.'s final approval, I was told to pay Rs. 17,214. I called Ins. Co., they told me the bill was sent at room rate of Rs. 2,300, while I had the coverage for Rs. 1,500; so they have deducted 35% from the final bill.

I called Manish the same time, and he said we will rectify the next morning.
The next morning, he said that he has never seen such a situation, where Insurance company deducted other charges too with Semi private Room rate. He asked me to call COO, since he had said OK earlier.
I called Dr D Sharma, COO. He was very rude denying if he ever said OK earlier, and how could any one else promise so without his permission. He said he cant talk more because there are people waiting there.
Later even my doctor talked to COO, but COO said he could not do anything.

So, I had to pay almost 3 times of what I had been told earlier about my obligation to pay.
In spite of my repeated clarifications and their reassurances, Apollo Hospital Noida did not keep their WORD.
This is the way COO of Apollo Hospital Noida wants to run his hospital.
C L Agrawal

I think such topics suit best at public grievances site such as http://pgportal.gov.in/. Its an Indian Governments website to lodge complaints.

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