Waived! Calcutta HC Orders Hospital to Forgive Rs 1.09 Crore Medical Bill of Woman
Waived! Calcutta HC Orders Hospital to Forgive Rs 1.09 Crore Medical Bill of Woman
Kolkata, May 21 : The Calcutta High Court has stepped in to resolve a severe five-year standoff between a private medical facility and the family of a long-term patient. On Wednesday, the judiciary instructed a Kolkata hospital to forgive an outstanding medical bill exceeding one crore rupees. This decisive ruling finally clears the path for a woman, effectively stranded at the facility since late 2021, to return to her family.
Justice Krishna Rao issued the directive after a specialized government medical panel confirmed the patient was stable enough for domestic care. The ordeal began when the woman suffered extensive head trauma in an accident and was rushed to a local private hospital. Following multiple complicated surgeries over the years, her treatment expenses skyrocketed.
Financial disputes quickly derailed her discharge process. The patient's husband managed a minimal initial deposit and exhausted a modest health insurance policy. He then refused to cover the remaining costs. He cited absolute financial ruin and simultaneously alleged that inadequate care had worsened his wife's physical condition. The hospital, left carrying a massive financial burden, eventually petitioned the court to transfer the patient to a state-run institution.
To break the administrative deadlock, the bench mandated that the husband take his wife home immediately. Acknowledging his total inability to pay the astronomical dues, the judge ordered the private facility to waive the debt entirely. The hospital is permitted to pursue any remaining insurance avenues to recover costs. Furthermore, the state government must supply a free wheelchair for the patient, who currently requires physical assistance for basic daily activities.
While providing immediate relief to the struggling family, the court explicitly clarified that this unique financial waiver does not set a universal legal precedent for future medical debt disputes.
[ Calcutta High Court, medical bill waiver, Kolkata hospital dispute, healthcare debt relief, Apollo Hospital case ]
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