Lok Sabha Question No. 4531 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-19
Subject: Exorbitant Charges by Private Hospitals
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Manoj Kishorbhai Kotak, Dean Kuriakose

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4531 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19 TH JULY, 2019

## EXORBITANT CHARGES B Y PRIVATE HOSPITALS

## 4531. SHRI MANOJ KOTAK: ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  high  costs  of  healthcare  and  unreason high/exorbitant charging by private hospitals from distressed patients, if so, the d tails thereof;

(b) whether the Government has received complaints from the public in this regard, if details thereof;

- (c) whether the Government plans to curb the cost of treatment in private hospitals;
- (d) if so, the measures that have been taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in regard; and

(e) the details of steps taken or proposed by the Government for making affordable and st healthcare facilities for the patients in the country who ar e not covered in Ayushman Yojana?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) & (b) : The Government is aware of the reports appearing in the media from time to time about some such cases of overcharging by the private health care establishments.

As per constitutional provisions, 'Health is a State subject. It is the responsibility of the respective State Government totake cognizance of such instances and take action to prevent and control  such  practices.  Complaints,  as  and  when  received,  are  forwarded  to  the  conce State/UT Government which regulate the hospitals/clinical establishmen t  as per the provisions of Act and Rules applicable in the concerned State/UT. Details of such complaints are, ho not maintained centrally.

(c) to (e) : The Government of India has enacted the Clinical Establishments (Registrati and Regulation) Act, 2010 and notified Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules 2012 for registration and regulation of clinical establishments (both Government and Priv the country. In the States /UTs where the said Act is in force,  the clinical establ ishments are required  to  meet  the  norms  such  as  minimum  standards  of  facilities  and  services,  mini requirement  of  personnel,  maintenance  of  records  and  reports    and  displaying  of  rate conspicuous  place , etc .  The  clinical  establishments  are  also  re quired  to  follow Standard Treatment Guidelines i sued by the Central/State Governments and charge rates for each type procedure  and  service  within  the  range  of  rates  determined  from  time  to  time.  The  Nat Council for Clinical Establishments has developed a standard list of medical procedures and a standard template for costing of medical procedures and shared the same with the States and Union Territories for appropriate action by them. The implementation and enforcement of said Act is within the purview of the State/UT Governments.

The Central Government, under the National Health Mission (NHM), provides financia and technical support to the States/UTs for strengthening their healthcare system for pro accessible, affordabl e and quality healthcare to all the people. This support includes suppor free  maternal  &  child  health,  immunization,  communicable  disease  control  programme prevention and management of non - c mmunicable diseases, strengthening health systems such as physical  infrastructure,  augmenting  health  human  resource  on  contractual  basis, ambulance services, free essential drugs & diagnostics, free blood, free dialysis servi poor, mobile medical units, etc.

Further,  the  Ministry  of  Health  and Family W elfare  has  started  AMRIT  (Affordable Medicines and reliable Implants for Treatment) stores where essential life saving medici implants are being provided at a substantial discount vis - à- vis the Maximum R et ail Price.