Hospitals cannot deny treatment for want of address or identity proof.

On 30th April, 2021 the Supreme Court passed a slew of directions with regard to the rights of patients suffering from COVID-19. It directed the Central Govt. to formulate a national policy for hospital admissions. But until such policy is put into effect, the Supreme Court clarified that no patient shall be denied hospitalisation or essential drugs in any State/UT for lack of local residential proof of that State/UT or even in the absence of identity proof.

Relevant extracts of the said judgment have been reproduced below-

“The Central Government shall, within two weeks, formulate a national policy on admissions to hospitals which shall be followed by all State Governments. Till the formulation of such a policy by the Central Government, no patient shall be denied hospitalization or essential drugs in any State/UT for lack of local residential proof of that State/UT or even in the absence of identity proof;”