Top Hospitals in Mumbai face legal action for alleged overcharging on Stents

Mumbai: 7 Top hospitals in the city are now facing strong action from the Legal Metrology department after an inspection revealed these hospitals violating the Packaged Commodity Rules and allegedly charging more than MRP on many commodities such as Balloon Device, Angiography Catheter, Euretic Euroworld, Fabric Natural Fiber, I.V. Catheter, Guide Wire, Breathic Circuit, Limbo Single Limb Anesthesia, Handson Gloves and Blood Collector.

Inspections were carried out by the Legal Metrology department at hospitals  including Breach Candy Hospital, Lilawati Hospital, Fortiz Hospital, Mulund, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Asian Heart Institute, Bandra, Hiranandani Hospital, Powai, Global Hospital, Parel & H.N.Hospital (Reliance Foundation) Girgaon. The said inspections revealed several violations  to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodity) Rules, 2011 (i.e.Name & Address of the Importer, Customer Care Number, Month & Year of Import etc.)

Speaking about Breach Candy Hospital, Additional director-general and controller of legal metrology Amitabh Gupta told TOI, “We seized seven surgical and three pharmaceutical products under PCR rules. Stents are sold at Rs 1.1 lakh. We got three distributors’ bills for stents and balloons, and will initiate action against the distributors. The hospitals do not keep stents in reserve but have been sold them for Rs 90,000. The purchase bill has been taken.”

Gupta further added , “I am doing the best I can by putting the issue in the public domain. Patients should know that they are being charged Rs 2 lakh or so for a stent whose original cost is Rs 10,000-15,000. Often, the importer sells to the distributor for Rs 40,000, the distributor makes the hospital pay Rs 80,000-90,000, and the hospital charges patients Rs 1,70,000-2,00,000. Imagine the profit everybody is making at the cost of the consumer.”

In view of the compliance of the Packaged Commodity Rules for the packages used in HospitalIndustry and to avoid the cheating of Patients by charging more than M.R.P. under the guidance of Hon'ble Shri.Girish Bapat, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Protection Department, Shri.Amitabh Gupta, Addl. Director General of Police and Controller of Legal Metrology, Maharashtra, Mumbai  have organized a special campaign.

Violations 

As per the press note from the Metrology department, following violations were found during the respective hospital inspection

1. Fortis Hospital, Mulund - It is observed that M.R.P. on Fabric Natural Fiber was smudged, Complete Name & Address of the Importer was not mentioned on the Angiographic Catheter, Name & Address of the Manufacturer, Sale Price was not mentioned on the Euretic Euroworld. Affixed additional Sticker of Sale Price, month & year of manufacture on Sterneral Bress and weighing machine is not re-verified and stamped in due period.


2. Lilawati Hospital, Bandra - Complete Name & Address of the Importer, Month & Year of import, M.R.P. and Customer Care Number is not mentioned on PTCA Guide Wire and Angiographic Catheter. Also there is no declaration regarding Manufacturing Month & Year and Customer Care Number on Hydrophilic Siding Catheter and Balloon Device.


3. Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Andheri - M.R.P. is not declared and affixed additional sticker of Month & Year of manufacture on surgical gloves and weighing machine is not re-verified and stamped in due period.


4. Hiranandani Hospital, Powai - Complete Name & Address of the Importer, Month & Year of import, M.R.P. and Customer Care Number is not mentioned on Cook Angiography Catheter, Breathing Circuit and Embossinglilum Anesthesia and weighing machine is not re-verified and stamped in due period.


5. Asian Heart Institute, Bandra - Non standard unit used on Rich Belt with Pad.


6. Global Hospital, Parel - Complete Name & Address of the Importer, Month & Year of import, M.R.P. and Customer Care Number is not mentioned on OT Reload, Guide Wire and Electrode. There is no declaration regarding manufacturing month & year on Arterial Lid Set and Nasal Canola.


7. Hiranandani Hospital (Reliance Foundation) - Inclusive of All Taxes was not mentioned on Handson Gloves and Blood Collector. There is no declaration except M.R.P. on Guide Wire. Name of the commodity, Customer Care Number and Month & Year of import was not mentioned on Catheter.

Due to all these irregularities, a legal action against the concerned was initiated.

It has been observed that there is a huge difference between M.R.P. printed on the package, charged by the supplier to the hospital and the actual charge to the patient by the Hospital. The issue is under investigation with the help of the concerned Department.

The Controller of Legal Metrology Shri. Amitabh Gupta further said in a press note that Legal Metrology Organization is very important organization in view of the protection of the Consumers. He also appealed to all Patients and their relatives to remain alert during the hospitalization. If, they notices such type of practices they can lodge the complaint with Department either by phone (022-22886666) or E-mail dclmms_complaints@yahoo.com

Read Also: Stents exorbitant prices due to doctor-industry nexus: Allegations pile up