The drastic step of postponing a treatment should not be taken just because hospital expenses could shoot right through the roof. The subsidies offered by private hospitals is a boon for people like Manish.

Manish is afflicted by bone cancer but does not have the money required for such a treatment. Hinduja Hospital was one of the options for Manish. The patients relations department of the hospital conducted a scrutiny into his credentials and offered him a 20 per cent discount. The total cost of Rs 60,000 was cut down to Rs 48,000.

Contrary to popular belief many of the treatments offered by hospitals are made affordable to the public by the series of subsidies offered by them to patients.

Dr A H Bathkande, administrative director of Hinduja Hospitals says, ``Corporate hospitals like the Hindujas is established as part of the corporate philanthropy, so these are non-profit institutes. The hospital does not pay back the Hindujas, as there are no shareholders the profits from this institute is passed down to the patients themselves''.

Out of the total 329 beds in the hospital about a quarter of them are subsidised. The subsidies are essentially given for tertiary health care that is when the technology is not available else where.

There are basket of other options for cancer patients. The Tata Memorial hospital, a autonomous body under the Department of Atomic Energy is the other resort where 65 to 70 per cent of the cases are treated free of charge. This includes the patient's treatment, diet and lodging charges at the hospital.

The criteria here for subsidies is a person earning a monthly salary of less than Rs 1000. The social service department of the hospital checks the credentials of the patients and ascertain whether the particular disease deserves a subsidy. Bathkande says ``only complex diseases like cancers, tumours,Kidney problems etc are given subsidies.

At Hindujas, Chemotherapy is the only treatment available. The procedures and the treatment of the diseases ranges between Rs 180 to Rs 960. The rates of wards vary from Rs 450 and Rs 550 for a four bed cubicle and Rs 850 for a twin bed cubicle. The single rooms come at Rs 1700 and Rs 3200.

The cancer treatment ranges between Rs 1410 in a four bed cubicle and goes up to Rs 4160 in a super deluxe room.

For the paying category of cancer patients the hospital has three options. For a minor cancer treatment in a semi- private ward would cost on an average between Rs 600-Rs 2000, in private ward about Rs 1500 to Rs 4000 and in a super deluxe ward the rates would range between Rs 2000 to Rs 6000 in which the patient has options of a telephone, television, and an attendent. For a major cancer treatment the average rates be it chemotherapy, Surgery or radiation therapy would range Rs 2000 to Rs 5000 in a semi-private room, Rs 6000 to Rs 10,000 in a private room and Rs 7000 to Rs 12,000 in a super deluxe room.

The choice of cost options extends further for patients looking out for more subsidies and amenities. The cancer department manned by Dr D J Jasawala at Breach Candy Hospital is another avenue for relief. Dr Magala Simha manning the histopathology department says ``the cancer detection centre at the hospital is one of the best in terms of facilities available comparable only to the Tata Mermorial Hospital which specialises in Cancer treatments.''The histopathology department of the hospital is used by the Indian Cancer Society for all its tests.

The society caters to the poorer sections of the society therefore the hospital gives a subsidy on the tests conducted. On an average 5000 cases come from the Cancer society for which Rs 40 to Rs 75 is charged while the normal fee is Rs 525 per examination. The cases coming in from the cancer society are called Type I patients. But if you need to be a in-house patient in need of concessions there is a Free Godrej Wing which provides this facility. This was initially sponsored by the Godrej group.

A social worker will access the paying capacity of the patient after which the concession are decided on. The cancer treatment in Breach candy ranges between Rs 3625 in a super deluxe which has a bath attached, an attendant and a oxygen cylinder. The second category of room is available at Rs 2025 and the cheapest option comes at Rs 1425.

The rates include treatment,lodging,and diet, excluding medicines.Breach Candy hospital goes a step ahead of others and even offers airline ticket concessions for patients who fly in for cancer treatments from other cities. A official spokesperson from the hospital says, ``this is an arrangement we have with the airport authorities to facilitate outstation patients to fly into the hospital''.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.