Lok Sabha Question No. 1002 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-18
Subject: Exorbitant Charges by Private Hospitals
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Janardan Singh Sigriwal

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1002 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH SEPTEMBER, 2020

## EXORBITANT CHARGES B Y PRIVATE HOSPITALS

## 1002. SHRI JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL:

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

(a)  whether  Government  has  taken  note  of  the  fact that  private  hospitals  and  nursing  homes fleece patients by exorbitant charges and inflated bills; and

(b) if so, the details thereof and necessary steps taken by the Government for the monitoring of thecommercial activities of the Private hospitals particularly in small cities and rural areas of the country?

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

(a) The  Government  is  aware  of  the  cases  of  overcharging  by  the  private  health  c establishments.

As per constitutional provisions, 'Health' is a State subject. It is the responsibility of the respective State/Union Territory (UT) Government to take cognizance of such instances and action to prevent and control such practices. Complaints, as and when received, are forwa the concerned State/UT Government which regulates the hospitals/ clinical establishments as per the  applicable  provisions  of  Act  and  Rules.  Details  of  such  complaints  are  not  main centrally.

- (b) The  Government  of  India  has  enacted  the  Clinical  Establishments  (Registration  a Regulation) Act, 2010 and notified Cl inical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012 for registration and regulation of clinical establishments (both Government and Private country. In the States/UTs where the said Act is in force, the clinical establishments ar to me et norms such as minimum standards of facilities and services, minimum requirement personnel, maintenance of records and reports and display of rates at a conspicuous pla The clinical establishments are also required to follow Standard Treatment Guidelines issued by the Central/State Governments and charge rates for each type of procedure and service w the  range  of  rates  determined  from  time  to  time.  The  National  Council  for  Clin Establishments has developed a standard list of medical pr oc ures and a standard template for

costing  of  medical  procedures  and  shared  the  same  with  the  States  and  UTs  for  appropr action by them.

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has also issued Standard Treatment Guidelin in  Allopathy  system  for  22 7 common  medical  conditions  and  in  Allopathy  for  18  medical conditions.

The Act provides for registering authority in each distinct, which is empowered unde Act for implementation and monitoring of the Act and Rules.

The  Act  as  on  date  is  applicabl e  in  11  States  namely  Bihar,  Jharkhand,  Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Rajasthan, Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh, Assam an Haryana and in UTs namely Puducherry, Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu, Andaman & Nicobar,  Chandigarh,  Lakshadw eep.  Other  States/UTs  have  also  been  requested  to  adopt  the Act.

The implementation and enforcement of the said Act and Rules is within the purview the State/UT Governments.