Fortis Hospital in Kalyan served notice for not accepting demonetized notes from patient
Fortis Hospital, Kalyan. Picture Courtesy: Medifee.com
Thane District Collectorate on Friday issued a show-cause notice to a private hospital at Kalyan in the district for not accepting the now defunct Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes from patients.
District Collector Mahendra Kalyankar issued the notice to Fortis Hospital’s Kalyan branch based on the complaints made by several patients and has asked the hospital to file a reply by Saturday, November 12.
While announcing the decision to demonetize Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, PM Narendra Modi had explicitly said that hospitals and medicals would accept old notes till midnight, November 11.
The hospital’s refusal to accept old notes 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 hospital, he tried to settle his medical bill using Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.
However, the staff at the payment counter simply 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 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 within 24 hours, failing which stern action would be taken.
