Hospitals Overcharging Patients, Advocates Demand Action

Patient advocacy groups, including the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA), have demanded government intervention to regulate charges imposed by private hospitals and set ceilings on trade margins for medicines and medical devices. This push follows renewed scrutiny from the Supreme Court, which questioned steep markups on cancer drugs and practices requiring patients to use hospital-linked pharmacies. The court has urged the government to consider regulating trade margins, highlighting a significant disparity in pricing.

The JSA and the Working Group on Access to Medicines and Treatment stated that patients continue to encounter high and arbitrary costs for treatment, medications, and consumables. They note that the existing Clinical Establishments Act has not been uniformly implemented, leaving patients vulnerable to excessive bills, especially during prolonged hospital stays or complex procedures.

These groups advocate for immediate action from both central and state governments to implement charges ceilings for private hospitals and establish accessible grievance redressal mechanisms for patients. They also call for regulation of trade margins on medical products, emphasizing that the maximum retail price should not permit excessive markups over procurement costs. Concerns were also raised about financial incentives influencing doctors' treatment decisions, with a call for the National Medical Commission to review remuneration practices.