Recently, multiple instances have come to light about top private hospitals fleecing the patients. From overcharging for treatments to referring expensive medicines, many private healthcare facilities have come under the scanner. While the government is taking actions to discourage such malpractices, its vision of corruption free healthcare system is proving to be difficult. News18 India, through its sting operation, has exposed the deceitful practice of earning from medical insurance as well.
News18 India conducted a sting operation targeting private hospitals in NCR like Rama Hospital, Sonipat and Amrapali Hospital, Noida to name a few. The channel’s undercover team of reporters created a storyline of how their wrestler son, who has a medical insurance of 10 lakh rupees, was badly injured and treated in another hospital. While they incurred an expense of Rs. 50,000, they were not able to claim the money through insurance. With this narrative, the team went to various hospitals where the doctors and the management revealed how they can help them claim their money through various nefarious means.
News18 India’s team caught on camera many people talking about how the patients can get their mediclaim from the insurance companies and make money out of it. The doctors will admit the patient for 10 days on papers and will submit expensive bill to the insurance company. The doctors also revealed how they can also include fake diseases and injuries in the insurance claim to make it more realistic. The hospital authorities on camera that the money earned from the claim will then be divided between the patient, the doctors and the mediators.
Though people might think that these fraudulent practices do not affect their health but they forget that they will have to bear the cost of increased premiums if the insurance companies incur losses. Through Operation Lifeline, News18 India’s team reveals how rampant corrupt practices such as these are bound to have negative consequences for the common man. New policies and laws can be made but the ground reality is a far cry from completely solving the corruption issue.