Karnataka: Doctors win, toothless medical bill tabled

Belagavi: Succumbing to pressure from members of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association, the government tabled a watered-down version of Karnataka Private Medical Establishments amendment bill in the Assembly on Tuesday, scrapping the clause for imprisonment of doctors on charges of negligence, harassment of patients and for handing out inflated bills.   

With such changes to the bill originally tabled in the Assembly in June 2017, the government has met almost all demands of private doctors, the lone exception being one on fixing  uniform package rates for treatment and procedures under the health assurance schemes. It includes the formation of an expert committee to recommend the classification of private medical establishment and minimum standards of  infrastructure, staffing pattern and qualification and audit of prescriptions.