Belagavi: Diluted medical bill passed by voice vote

BELAGAVI: A diluted version of the controversial medical bill to regulate private health care was passed by a voice vote in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, sans the jail-term clause for doctors.

The Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2017' which makes amendments to the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act, 2007 (Karnataka Act 21 of 2007) was tabled by health minister K R Ramesh Kumar on Tuesday. It also provides for emergency treatment as without insisting on payment of advance from patient or representative of the patient in specified cases and enhancing certain monetary penalties leviable under certain sections.

Replying to the debate on the amendments, Mr Ramesh Kumar said along with service rules and making it mandatory to list staff availability, medicine, services and equipment at government hospitals, there is a plan for an independent body as a regulator. "We are planning for a independent body, a regulator to come into force, headed by a Judge. We will bring this during the next (legislature) session," he added.

During the debate, most members had raised concerns on quality of health care in government hospitals. Participating in the debate, Opposition BJP Leader Jagadish Shettar, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy and several other legislators expressed reservations about government doctors and hospitals being kept out of the purview of the amendment bill.  

According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, it was considered necessary to amend the 2007 Act to reconstitute the registration and grievances redressal authority and enhance transparency in display of rates by private medical establishments.

The bill also empowers the state government to fix uniform package rates for treatment and procedures under it's health assurance schemes, specify the patients charter and private medical establishment's charter. It provides for levy of monetary penalty in case of non compliance to the patients charter or private medical establishments charter.

The bill was first tabled in the assembly on June 13 and later sent to the joint select committee after opposition by doctors and medical professionals. The bill also stated that complaints pertaining to negligence, non-adherence to standard protocols for treatment, procedures and prescription audit shall be referred to the Karnataka Medical Council for inquiry. The doctors had called off the strike after meeting the CM and an interim order by the HC, directing them to restore forthwith their medical services.