HELLO all Indians out there! When we fall sick and go to the doctor for treatment, how many of us seek a bill for the charges paid to the doctor who has treated us? Have we, as responsible Indians, ever thought about it? Has the media ever thought about it? The media has all the time in the world to show live updates of a cricket match but has no time to disseminate critical news to the public. I quote the following incident to explain how doctors evade tax on their earnings:
I went to a clinic in Bangalore to get myself checked by a doctor. I hardly spent 15 minutes with the doctor. He charged me Rs 100 and made a note of it in his diary. I had waited in the queue for about an hour and by the time my turn arrived, the doctor had checked 10 patients; apparently he had collected Rs 1000 in just an hour @ Rs 100 per patient. I also observed that after 5 PM, the doctor busies himself with patients till 10 PM; thus, on an average, he should earn Rs 4,000 – 5,000 in five hours.
And I wonder if the doctor ever pays tax on the money that he earns. And he does not maintain any record either, concerning the patient, which could prove problematic to the patient if the patient is required to undergo a surgery in future.
I feel the government or the All India Medical Association should initiate appropriate steps in the matter.