Heads of private hospitals, doctors and a section of health department officials fear that this will become the norm once the regulatory commission for private health care fixes rates for procedures across clinical establishments. Most private hospitals accept patients under health care schemes for state and central government employees. The average fee of a surgeon for appendectomy (surgery to remove the appendix) in a private hospital in south Calcutta is about Rs 60,000. The doctor's fee for the same procedure under a government health care scheme is around Rs 7,000. "In private health insurance, it might be permissible to charge for additional treatment after the patient and the insurance company have been informed.

Source: The Telegraph April 23, 2018 21:11 UTC