Expensive Medical Bills Revealed
Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has raised concerns over the large difference between the purchase prices of some hospital consumables and their printed maximum retail prices (MRPs).
Mundhe said the issue could add significantly to patients’ hospital bills because medical consumables are essential during treatment and patients usually have little opportunity to compare their prices. He described the gap between the actual trade price and the price shown on the product as a public health concern.
One example highlighted by Mundhe was an IV infusion set. According to the Maharashtra FDA’s findings, the product was procured for Rs 11.05 but carried a printed MRP of Rs 325. The difference represents a markup of about 2,841 per cent.
The FDA also cited other examples. A syringe purchased for Rs 6.75 had an MRP of Rs 57.20, while a catheter procured for Rs 29.41 had an MRP of Rs 310. These figures show the wide gap found between procurement prices and printed MRPs for some commonly used medical products.
Mundhe said patients often cannot question such prices while receiving treatment. Unlike ordinary consumer goods, hospital consumables are generally needed as part of medical care, leaving patients with limited ability to compare prices or choose alternatives at the time they are being used.
The Maharashtra FDA conducted a survey of hospital consumables and examined bills from hospitals in areas including the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Officials said some hospital bills also showed margins of around 200 to 300 per cent on certain consumables.
Following its findings, the Maharashtra FDA submitted a proposal to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) seeking possible price controls for frequently used hospital consumables and medical devices. The proposal seeks to bring such products under the price-control framework of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
However, the FDA has clarified that it does not currently have the authority to directly regulate hospital bills or decide the prices hospitals charge patients. The department has submitted its findings for consideration by the relevant central authorities.
The issue has also attracted attention from medical-device industry groups. Recent industry responses have supported a review of pricing while calling for a balanced system that considers affordability, transparency, product quality and the costs involved in developing and supplying medical technology.
The findings have renewed the debate over transparency in hospital billing and the pricing of medical supplies. Any changes to the existing pricing system will depend on the response of the central authorities and the regulatory framework that may eventually be introduced.