Govt Hospital sets its own price cap for cardiac stents, others may soon follow

According to a senior doctor from the hospital's cardiology department, the new approach will benefit patients across India, as other government hospitals that presently charge up to Rs 30,000 for stents are expected to follow the new price set at GB Pant.

Angioplasty has started in GB Pant Hospital last Tuesday with stents worth Rs 9,450 and Rs 11,550. The doctors of GB Pant Hospital say that soon Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty and Super Specialty Hospital located in Janakpuri will also start getting stents at the prescribed cost. This will provide relief to the financially weak families and will ensure their treatment at less cost. Patients coming from other states in GB Pant Hospital will also get its benefit. "Reduction in the cost of a device is always beneficial to people. This is a government facility and we cater to individuals coming from weaker sections as well," said Dr RK Kalra, medical superintendent, GB Pant hospital.

According to Jagran, earlier the prices of stents were very high. In February 2017, the central government had reduced the prices of stents by up to 85 per cent. After this, under the amendment made by the National Drug Pricing Authority in March 2020, the maximum fee for non-drug stents is Rs 8,261, while the maximum fee for pharmaceutical and biodegradable stents is Rs 30,080. According to doctors, before the new rates came into force at GB Pant Hospital, the price of drug stent was fixed at Rs 23,625.

There is a system to provide free stents to BPL card holder patients. Even stents in AIIMS and RML Hospital cost Rs 23,030. The GB Pant hospital administration had started the tender process for the availability of stents last year. Under this, stents containing Everolimus and Sirolimus medicines are now available in the hospital at low rates. The new rates of stents have been pasted outside the cath lab of the hospital. Doctors say that in case of a heart attack, the cost of angioplasty in private hospitals ranges from three lakh to five lakh rupees.

As per a recent media report by TOI, a senior doctor stated, " Tenders were issued for the stent earlier and a company was chosen. Wherever this stent is being used in the country, the cap will now be Rs 22,500. As the tender is open, the pricing will be implemented at Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital while Janakpuri Super Specialty Hospital is expected to follow suit." He added that the stents are of good quality and approved by the Drugs Controller General of India.

Everolimus medicated stent charges: There are six types of stents available. Depending on the quality, the charges are Rs 11,550, Rs 12,000, Rs 12,075, Rs 16,695, Rs 19,845 and Rs 23,570. In these stents, the drug is slowly released into the body.

Sirolimus drug stent price: There are five types of stents available. According to the quality, its charges are Rs 9,450, Rs 12,075, Rs 16,695, Rs 19,845 and Rs 23,620.

Non-drug stents available for just Rs 5,249: In GB Pant Hospital, patients with non-drug stents will be available for just Rs 5,249 and Rs 5,774. However, its quality is not considered good. Therefore, the use of non-drug stents has almost stopped.