Govt says no hospital can reject patients

Private hospitals have been warned against denying medical treatment to Covid-19 patients, with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha adding that changes to the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (UCEP) scheme won’t take effect until March 1.

Under the UCEP scheme, patients can seek treatment at any medical facility for three days, after which they will be transferred to a hospital where their state welfare and/or health insurance scheme is registered.

However, the government recently removed Covid-19 from the list of conditions covered by UCEP, which means that from March 1, those who test positive for Covid-19 but do not require critical care will have to pay their own medical bills if they choose to seek treatment at private hospitals.

Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said private hospitals which refuse treatment to Covid-19 patients will face…