In a significant decision, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Union Health Secretary to guarantee that medical procedure rates are standardized across all states within the next month. This move is in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) launched by the NGO 'Veterans Forum for Transparency in Public Life,' which revealed significant disparities in hospital rates.
After hearing the PIL, the Supreme Court noted the failure to enforce Rule 9 of the Clinical Establishment Rules 2012, highlighting the need for hospitals to prominently display their service costs and adhere to the Center's rate ranges. The PIL mentioned cases where the cost of cataract surgery in private hospitals differed drastically from that in government facilities.
The General Insurance Council views the court's direction to harmonize prices as a positive step, particularly in terms of strengthening the execution of the 'Cashless Everywhere' campaign. The Council launched this initiative in January, allowing any medical insurance policyholder to use cashless facilities for treatment in any hospital, even if it is not part of their insurance company's network.
However, problems have occurred when hospitals and insurers cannot agree on treatment prices, making it impossible to provide cashless treatments. The court's push for standardization is expected to address such issues and assist in the smoother adoption of 'Cashless Everywhere.'
The PIL further warned the Center that if a remedy is not found, the court may consider imposing Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS)-mandated uniform charges. This move is critical for the 'Cashless Everywhere' campaign, which has encountered challenges such as limited consumer awareness and the lack of standardized treatment rates throughout India's hospitals.
The court's emphasis on standardizing hospital costs is consistent with citizens' fundamental right to access inexpensive healthcare. It emphasizes the importance of a controlled cost structure for medical treatments, particularly where differences exist between government and private medical facilities.
The General Insurance Council's 'Cashless Everywhere' project is a noteworthy effort to reduce friction for clients by enabling access to cashless medical facilities independent of hospital networks. Tapan Singhel, head of the GI Council, underlined the need to charge clients reasonable prices while issuing policies or filing claims.
The Supreme Court's intervention is expected to result in positive reforms, including increased transparency and affordability in the healthcare industry. This approach also raises concerns about certain hospitals' possible discriminatory pricing practices and reluctance to embrace initiatives such as 'Cashless Everywhere.'
Finally, the court's demand for harmonizing hospital prices not only tackles disparities in medical treatment costs, but it also strengthens the 'Cashless Everywhere' campaign. As the Union Health Secretary is tasked with calling a meeting to ensure the announcement of standard rates, this development holds promise for citizens looking for accessible and cheap healthcare. The court's directive and the 'Cashless Everywhere' campaign work together to achieve the wider goal of providing high-quality healthcare to all.
(Inputs from various sources)
(Rehash/Susmita Bhandary/MSM)
