Financial Sinkhole: Assam doctor flags predatory billing by private hospitals

Dr. Priyam Bordoloi criticised what he described as “predatory” practices by certain corporate hospitals, claiming these systems often turn into a financial burden for patients and their families. He also stated, “Corporate hospitals are increasingly becoming a financial sinkhole!”

Dr Bordoloi was responding to an X user, Ankit Pandey’s post, who also pointed out that private hospitals in India have become a “money-making machine.” He shared the incident of his friend’s grandmother, who had been admitted to an intensive care unit, and was being administered medicines costing between Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000 per day. He said this amount did not include other expenses such as hospital bills or room charges. He also stated that the patient’s family was not permitted to meet her and had not been provided with details regarding the treatment being given.

“He is not allowed inside the ICU. He cannot see the treatment. He cannot see which medicines are actually being used. He can only stand outside and keep paying. Medicines go from the pharmacy to the ICU. Families don’t know what is used and what is not. Maybe some go back from the back door. But there is no transparency. Only bills. Private hospitals know families won’t argue when their loved one is in the ICU. This is not just treatment. For many families, this is financial destruction in the name of healthcare,” he added.

Responding to his post, Dr. Bordoloi, MD in Internal Medicine, shared his own experience where one of his germophobe cousin advised her to seek a simple consultation from a private facility. “Even as a doctor, I feel this deeply. Two years ago, I advised my cousin to choose a private hospital for diarrhoea because she’s a germaphobe, and I thought she’d be more comfortable there. She was discharged three days later with a Rs. 64,000 bill,” he added.

He further added that while certain costs, such as better nurse-to-patient ratios and better infrastructure, are justifiable, the lack of transparency is predatory. I saw firsthand the inflated medicine prices, unnecessary vitamin panels, and a CT abdomen that wasn't clinically indicated. He also mentioned that as a medicine doctor, he caught the overuse of antibiotics and redundant testing, but most families don’t have that luxury.

The comment of the doctor has triggered serious discussions online. Another doctor pointed out that MBA-driven medicine is a big problem! Optimizing a hospital isn’t the same as optimizing patient care; once revenue targets enter clinical space, priorities shift quietly, which is happening on a large scale. Pointing out that doctors are not to be blamed for the situation entirely, another medical professional stated, “It’s a complete racket, and I say this as a doctor. I don’t think doctors are the main ones to blame; that is the fault of corporate greed, but they continue to work in this system.”

One of the users shared his own experience, stating that a colleague was rushed to Apollo Hospital, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, for an emergency angioplasty. “The initial estimate was Rs 5.87lakhs. He spent the first day in a Shared ICU. When he was stable, the family requested a private room for recovery the next day. To our shock, the bill was hiked to Rs 8.78 lakhs! How can someone be charged for a 'Special ICU' retroactively when they were in a shared one for one & half days,” he added.