Charitable hospitals in Pune have encountered a troubling issue where individuals are fraudulently accessing free or discounted healthcare intended for the underprivileged under the Indigent Patients’ Fund (IPF) scheme. To combat this problem, the Association of Hospitals in Pune (AHP) has taken the initiative to provide training for hospital staff to identify counterfeit documents. The primary goal of this endeavor is to ensure that the benefits of charity reach those genuinely in need, rather than being exploited by individuals falsely posing as disadvantaged.
Battling Healthcare Fraud
The prevalence of fraudulent documents and the harassment faced by charitable hospitals from various organizations have prompted them to seek assistance from law enforcement agencies in cases of coercion. The issue of bogus documents and the challenges posed by organizations will be addressed in a meeting with District Collector Rajesh Deshmukh, scheduled for Monday, October 9.
The Widespread Impact
Pune alone houses 58 charitable hospitals, while Mumbai boasts 74, and the rest of the state accommodates 430 such establishments. Under the Indigent Patients Fund (IPF) scheme, patients from economically weaker sections are entitled to receive free or discounted medical treatment at these hospitals. Each charitable hospital is mandated to reserve 10 percent of their beds for indigent patients to receive free treatment and an additional 10 percent for economically weaker sections.
Dr. HK Sale’s Insights
Dr. HK Sale, Chairman of AHP, voiced his concerns, stating, “The problem has become acute, and many times the staff is unaware that the documents submitted are fake. Due to this, the funds allocated for poor patients are getting exhausted as the money is being utilized for the treatment of bogus poor patients.” He further emphasized that this manipulation undermines the very essence of the IPF scheme, with well-connected or falsified cases taking undue advantage at the expense of genuine patients who are being deprived of their rightful access.
Gopal Phadke’s Training Initiative
Gopal Phadke, in charge of the IPF scheme at Jehangir Hospital, will be spearheading the effort to educate hospital staff on identifying and cross-verifying counterfeit documents. He highlighted that income proof and ration cards are the two most frequently encountered fraudulent documents in the city’s charitable hospitals. He explained, “The income proof documents, when entered in the system, are found to be fake. Similarly, when we check the ration card on the government portal, the numbers on these cards are fake or lack the names of family members.”
Understanding the IPF Scheme
The Indigent Patients Fund (IPF) scheme, initiated by the Bombay High Court (HC) and launched in September 2006, mandates that all charitable hospitals in the state allocate two percent of their gross billing to assist indigent or economically weak patients. This aid takes the form of free treatment for those with an annual income below ₹85,000, and a 50 percent discount on billing for patients whose family’s annual income does not exceed ₹1.8 lakh. Charitable hospitals receive various benefits, including FSI, concessions in utilities, and tax exemptions, among others, in exchange for their participation in the scheme.
