Private hospitals to disclose treatment costs

Now you will be able to find out how much you will have to pay for the treatment you undergo in Bangalore city. The Karnataka state government that will make it mandatory for private hospitals to make public what they charge for medical treatment. Private hospitals in the state generate an annual turnover of Rs 20,000 crore.

Apart from this the private hospitals will also have to display the rate charts at the entrance of the hospital. The Health Minister for state, R Ashok feels that every patient has a right to know the expense he would be incurring at hospitals and there is also a need to bring about more transparency in this sector.

The new rule is expected to be in place in 15 days and will be framed under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Bill of 2007. A committee comprising experts has also been constituted to frame these rules, the minister, Ashok also said.

The rate charts apart from being displayed on notice boards in the hospitals will also have to be printed out on brochures and booklets and made available at hospitals on demand by patients. The hospitals will also have to register with the deputy commissioners of the respective districts and furnish copies of the rates and the treatments they offer.

The rules and legislation was proposed after several complaints were received by the government regarding the phenomenal prices being charged by the hospitals in Karnataka. The government says that the new rules will also stop harassment of the poor patients.

Private hospitals are not too happy with the new legislation as they feel they would be harassed unnecessarily. "How can charges be fixed? What if one of the patients develops a complication? Then how do we charge for the treatment," questioned a doctor at a private hospital.

The government has made it clear that in case they receive complaints charging more that the rates fixed, the licenses of such hospitals will be suspended.