New Delhi, The Union Health ministry has asked all states and Union Territories to ensure that rates charged for services and facilities offered by clinical establishments are displayed prominently, in a step to improve transparency, accountability and patient-centric healthcare delivery.
Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, in a letter to the chief secretaries of states and UTs, has called for a review of compliance with applicable regulatory provisions and appropriate measures to ensure that information on healthcare service charges is clearly visible and easily accessible to patients and their attendants. Under the rules, clinical establishments in states and UTs where the Act is applicable are required to display the rates charged for each type of service provided and facilities available at a conspicuous place, in the local language as well as in English, for the benefit of patients and their attendants. The letter also places particular emphasis on transparency in healthcare pricing for international patients. States and UTs have also been requested to encourage the prominent display, wherever applicable, of package rates offered to foreign patients travelling to India on medical or Ayush visas. This would enable international patients to make informed choices, help minimise pricing and billing-related grievances and further strengthen India’s position as a trusted destination for medical and Ayush care. The initiative is aimed at making healthcare delivery more transparent, accountable and responsive to patients’ needs, ensuring that access to clear information on healthcare charges becomes an integral part of patient-centric care.
Emphasising the importance of transparency in healthcare pricing, the Union health secretary said the conspicuous display of rates would help patients and their families understand the likely cost of treatment, make informed healthcare decisions and plan their medical expenditure.
