The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has urged all States and Union Territories to ensure that hospitals and other clinical establishments prominently display their rates for healthcare services and facilities, in a move aimed at improving transparency and helping patients make informed decisions about treatment costs.
Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava has written to the Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories, calling for a review of compliance with existing regulatory provisions and appropriate measures to ensure that healthcare charges are clearly visible and accessible to patients and their attendants.
The ministry said that transparent pricing would help patients and families understand the likely cost of treatment, plan their medical expenditure and avoid confusion or disputes over hospital bills. Clear information about charges is also expected to strengthen public trust in healthcare services.
Under the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, and the Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012, establishments in jurisdictions where the legislation applies are required to display rates for the services and facilities they provide. The rates must be displayed prominently in English and the local language for the benefit of patients.
States and Union Territories where the central legislation does not apply regulate clinical establishments under their respective legal frameworks. Several of these frameworks also contain provisions requiring healthcare facilities to display service charges.
The Centre has asked the relevant state and Union Territory authorities to take steps to ensure effective implementation and compliance with the applicable rules. As health is a State subject, responsibility for implementation and enforcement rests with the respective state and Union Territory administrations.
The communication also highlights the need for greater pricing transparency for international patients. States and Union Territories have been encouraged, wherever applicable, to facilitate the prominent display of package rates for foreign patients travelling to India on Medical or Ayush visas.
The government said that accessible information on treatment costs could help international patients compare available options and reduce pricing-related grievances.
The initiative forms part of the Centre’s broader effort to promote accountable, transparent and patient-centred healthcare delivery across the country.
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