After a major
discrepancy in hospital rates was brought to the Supreme Court attention, the
court has asked the central government to take immediate action. It has also
called on the Centre to standardise rates for medical procedures across
all states.
The discrepancy
was highlighted in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the NGO
'Veterans Forum for Transparency in Public Life'. In the PIL, it was noted that
the cost of cataract surgery in a private hospital can range from Rs 30,000 to
Rs 1,40,000 per eye, whereas the rates in a government hospital are up to Rs 10,000
per eye.
The plea sought
for the Centre to determine the fee chargeable to patients based on Rule 9 of
the Clinical Establishment Rules 2012.
Under this, all
hospitals and clinical establishments must "display rates charged for each
type of service provided and facilities available for the benefit of patients
at a conspicuous place in the vernacular as well as in the English language;
and charge rates for each type of procedure and service within the range of
rates determined and issued by the Centre from time to time, in consultation
with state governments." According to the rules, this must be done for
hospitals and clinics to keep their registrations valid.
The matter was
heard by a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta, who have called on
the Union health secretary to ensure standardisation is implemented within the
next month.
"If the
Union government fails to find a solution, then we will consider the
petitioner's plea for implementing Central Government Health Scheme
(CGHS)-prescribed standardised rates," the top court warned the Centre.
The last time
standardised rates were implemented across the country was during the Covid-19
pandemic. The petitioner also stated that if the states did not cooperate with
the government's rates, it might use its powers under central legislation to
notify citizens of the costs that would be charged.