Maharashtra: Fortis Hospital gets notice for not accepting demonetised notes

Maharashtra: Thane District Collectorate issued a show-cause notice to a Fortis hospital at Kalyan in the district for not accepting scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes from patients. District Collector Mahendra Kalyankar issued the notice based on the complaints made by several patients and has asked the hospital to file a reply by Saturday. The hospital’s refusal came to light after a patient, Ratilal Shah, reported the matter to the Collector office.

According to Shah, at the time of his discharge from the Fortis hospital, he tried to settle his medical bill using Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. However, the staff at the payment counter squarely refused to accept these notes. Shah then made a complaint to the District Collectorate, following which a Sub Divisional Officer visited the hospital and told its staff that as per the circular issued by the Directorate of Health Services two days back, it is mandatory for the hospitals to accept the old currency notes from patients. Thereafter, Shah was discharged from the hospital.

The notice, however, says that even after Shah’s discharge, several other patients called up the Collectorate to complain that the hospital staff was insisting on payment through new notes. “This (refusal to accept demonetised notes) will create law and order problem…Therefore, why action should not be taken against the hospital under section 188 of the IPC and also Bombay Nursing Home Registration Act of 1949,” the notice said. The notice has asked the hospital to reply till Saturday, failing which action would be taken it.