Telangana: Private hospitals told to display drug prices prominently

Hyderabad: The Telangana health department has directed all private hospitals to display the rack rates (as on December 31, 2010) at prominent places in the hospital immediately. Further, high-end drugs and PPEs, which are excluded from the package price have to be charged at MRP only. Also, their charges have to as per MRP and to be displayed at prominent places.

The department has also told private hospitals to give itemised bills to discharged patients. This decision comes in the wake of complaints from patients that they are not being given itemised bills. Any deviation from these instructions will be viewed seriously and action will be initiated as per provisions, Health Director Dr G Srinivas Rao in a circular issued on Wednesday evening. He said these orders come into force with immediate effect.

It may be mentioned here that government-issued GOs 248 and 281 fixing ceiling charges on corona treatment in private hospitals while exempting certain interventional procedures and high-end investigations that are excluded from the package rates and which have to be charged by hospitals as per rack rates of hospitals as on December 31, 2019.

The Health department's fresh decision comes in wake of receiving over 1000 complaints on private hospitals from patients ranging from exorbitant Covid treatment charges, collecting Rs one lakh per day on treatment, demand for an upfront payment of Rs 2 to 3 lakh before giving admissions, overcharging in the name of PPE kits, etc.