Patiala, Sept. 9 -- The Punjab health department has capped the monthly empanelment fee payable to private specialists at Rs.2.5 lakh per specialist, following concerns over hefty bills submitted by empanelled doctors, which in some cases had reached Rs.5-6 lakh a month.

The director health services, in an order issued on Tuesday, directed all civil surgeons in the state to ensure strict compliance with the new ceiling.

Under the revised arrangement, the existing system of calculating the empanelment fee on a per-patient or per-service basis will continue. However, the total payment made to an individual empanelled specialist in a month will now be subject to an overall ceiling of Rs.2.5 lakh.

"An upper ceiling of Rs.2.5 lakh per speci...