The Union Health Ministry has urged states and Union Territories to strengthen compliance with regulations requiring hospitals and other clinical establishments to clearly display healthcare service charges, aiming to improve pricing transparency and help patients make informed treatment decisions.
Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava has written to the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories (UTs), asking them to review existing compliance mechanisms and take appropriate steps to ensure that patients and their attendants can easily access information about treatment costs and charges for healthcare facilities.
The ministry stated that displaying service rates prominently would help patients estimate medical expenses, compare available services and make informed decisions before undergoing treatment.
Existing Rules Require Display of Healthcare Charges
The directive refers to the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, and the Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012.
Under these provisions, clinical establishments in states and UTs where the Act applies must display charges for different healthcare services and available facilities at clearly visible locations. The information must be provided in both English and the local language.
For states and UTs where the central legislation does not apply, healthcare establishments are governed by their respective regulatory frameworks, some of which also contain requirements for displaying service charges.
Since health is a State subject, the responsibility for implementing and enforcing these provisions rests with the respective state and UT authorities.
Special Focus on Medical Tourism Pricing
The ministry has also highlighted the need for greater pricing transparency for international patients seeking treatment in India.
States and UTs have been asked to encourage healthcare establishments to prominently display applicable treatment package rates for foreign patients travelling on Medical or Ayush Visas.
According to the ministry, greater visibility of these charges could help international patients assess treatment costs in advance and reduce disputes related to pricing and medical bills.
States Asked to Strengthen Compliance
The Union Health Secretary has called on state administrations to coordinate with the relevant regulatory authorities and ensure effective implementation of applicable provisions.
The communication reinforces existing regulatory requirements rather than introducing a new nationwide hospital pricing framework.
The ministry expects improved disclosure of healthcare charges to strengthen patient awareness, reduce billing-related grievances and support India’s reputation as a destination for medical and Ayush treatment.
