Charitable Trust Hospitals

Trust Hospitals registered under Bombay Public Trust Act 1950, get many concessions since they are expected to provide emergency services to all and quality medical services to economically weaker sections at free or at concessional rates. The concessions hospitals earns range from rates for purchase of prime location land; basic infrastructure services like water, electricity bills as well as major exemptions on Import duties for Appliances etc.
​
The hon. Bombay High Court constituted an expert committee on Oct 14, 2020 to give recommendations on all aspects keeping in view the provisions of section 41 AA of the Act.  Under Section 41AA of the Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950, the scheme for treatment to indigent patients and weaker section patients was approved by the Hon. Bombay High Court on 14th of October 2005. The scheme came into effect from the 1st of September 2006. 

The salient features of the scheme are-

  1. All l trust hospitals“-----shall be under legal obligation to reserve and earmark 10% of the total number of operational beds for indigent patients and provide medical treatment to the indigent patients free of cost and reserve and earmark 10% of the total number of operational beds at concessional rate to the weaker section patients.” (Indigent person and weaker section person means whose total annual income does not exceed Rs. 25,000/- and Rs.50,000 respectively.” The income limit was increased to Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 1 lakh in September 2012 (Notification No. VIKAK-2012/CR-40/D. 15)
  2. The trust hospital should have an annual turnvover above Rs. 5 lakh.
  3. 2% of gross billing of all patients other than  patients treated under this scheme should be assigned to a separate fund called the Indigent Patients Fund (IPF).
  4. Any surplus or shortfall in the IPF should be adjusted in subsequent months.
  5. This should reflect under earmarked funds in the annual balance sheet of the audited statement of the trust hospital.
  6. Certain non billable services have to be provided free to indiegent patients such as -- bed, RMO services, nursing care, food, linen, water, electricity, housekeeping and routine diagnostics.
  7. For weaker section patients, the charges should be as per the lowest class.
  8. In an emergency, hospitals much admit patients immediately . Any further transportation to a public hospital should happen only upon stabilization.
  9. In case of admission of emergency patients, the hospitalshall not ask for any deposit.
  10. The hospital should furnish information to the office of the charit commissioner regarding the amount collected in the IPF and profiles of the patients treateded under the scheme.
  11. No relatives of the trustees or employees of the trust should be treated under the scheme.
  12. The economic status of the patients should be scrutinized by the medical social worker using any one of the documents- i) certificate of income from the tahsildar ii) ration card/ BPL card.
  13. A monitoring committee shall be set up that will meet once a month to monitor imlementation of the scheme.
  14. In case of a breach, besides penal action provided under section 66 of the BPTA, 1950, the charity commissioner shall make a report recommending withdrawal of exemptions granted under the scheme...
  15. Each of the charitable hospital governed by this scheme shall publish the scheme on its notice board at a conspicuous place of the hospital.
The union continues to fight to ensure that members eligible for treatment under the scheme receive their rights.