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Article: Manto warns on overcharging by private hospitals; Billing for anaesthesia under spotlight as minister calls for compliance with single exit pricing laws.(News)
- Article from:
- The Sunday Independent (South Africa)
- Article date:
- September 9, 2007
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Independent News & Media PLC. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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BYLINE: Edwin Naidu
Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, the minister of health, has warned the country's hospital groups to stop overcharging patients for anaesthetic gases, claiming the practice - which is costing medical aids and patients R300 million a year - could find them on the wrong side of the law.
The minister said anaesthetic gases are sold in millilitres. However private hospitals have been billing anaesthetic gases on a per minute basis, though medicine price regulations require them to comply with a single exit price for all drugs.
"This has resulted in significant over-billing of patients and has resulted in contravention of the single ...