West Bengal consumer panel orders hospital to refund Rs 2 lakh over ICU billing error

The West Bengal consumer commission ruled that Ispat Cooperative Hospital must reimburse Anindya Chakraborty Rs 2 lakh after discovering that the final invoice listed charges for an ICU bed although his discharge documents confirmed a general-ward admission. Chakraborty had also alleged the hospital rejected his Swasthya Sathi card, forcing him to pay out of pocket. While the district commission had previously rejected his case, the state bench, led by President Justice Bibhas Ranjan De and member Mridula Roy, identified a clear mismatch between the treatment log and the billing, labeling it an unfair trade practice.

The commission also rejected the district panel’s reasoning on the card refusal, noting the patient’s later complaint to authorities. In addition to the refund, the hospital was ordered to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation and Rs 25,000 toward litigation expenses, with compliance required within eight weeks.