NPPA revises cardiac stent price cap

The price cap for drug-eluting stents (DES) has been lowered by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority by about Rs 2,300 to just under Rs 28,000.

On the other hand, bare metal stents price cap was marginally raised from Rs 7,400 to Rs 7,660. Both the caps exclude GST. 

95% of all stents used in India are accounted by DES indicating the stents are all set to become cheaper.

Following several complaints about the overcharging on catheters, balloons and guide wires used for angioplasty, the authority made its analysis of trade margins public.

Subsequently, the NPPA has asked for the hospital bills to have separate mention of the prices of catheters, balloons and guide wires.

The revised price caps will be effective from Tuesday and remain in effect until March 31, 2019.

Despite the NPPA setting into motion an examination of the price of consumables, hospital procedure charges continues to rise by hospitals with widely varying charges being extracted from patients across the country. Also, there is no law currently that allows the government to regulate these charges.

Welcoming the price revision, All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN) issued a statement and urged for expansion of price cap to consumables in a bid to allow procedures such as angiography and angioplasty become more affordable and accessible to patients. 

AIDAN also demanded that NPPA seek an investigation from the Competition Commission of India on the large hospital chains for abusing their dominant position and overcharging for angioplasties post the price cap.