Govt Reaffirms NPPA Stent Price Caps, States Tasked With Curbing Hospital Overcharging
New Delhi: The Government has clarified that coronary stents are under price control and private hospitals are required to comply with the notified ceiling prices, even as concerns were raised in the Parliament regarding patients allegedly being deprived of the benefits of reduced stent rates and a possible increase in implantation charges.
Member of Parliament, Giridhari Yadav sought clarification from the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers on whether private hospitals were depriving patients of the benefits of government-fixed ceiling prices on cardiac stents. He questioned whether hospitals had increased stent implantation charges to offset the price cap and whether the Centre proposed to fix maximum charges for both stents and implantation procedures across private hospitals. The query also sought details on measures to prevent overcharging despite NPPA’s notified ceiling prices.
Responding to the question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Anupriya Patel, stated that coronary stents—Bare Metal Stents (BMS) and Drug Eluting Stents (DES)—are included in Schedule-I of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013), and their ceiling prices are fixed by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) in accordance with the provisions of DPCO, 2013.
The present applicable ceiling price for BMS is ₹10,692.69 and for DES is ₹38,933.14. These prices are applicable across the country, and all manufacturers, marketers, and importers are required to sell stents within the notified ceiling price plus applicable Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The Minister further informed that NPPA issued a notification dated February 12, 2018, mandating that hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics performing angioplasty procedures and billing patients directly must comply with the notified ceiling prices. These institutions are also required to specifically and separately mention in their estimate, proforma invoice, and final bill the cost of the coronary stent, its category (BMS or DES), brand name, name of the manufacturer or importer, batch number, specifications, and other relevant details.
On the issue of excessive charges by private hospitals and the possibility of increased implantation charges to offset reduced stent prices, the Government stated that ‘Health’ is a State subject under the Constitution. Accordingly, it is the responsibility of the respective State Governments and Union Territory Administrations to take cognizance of such cases and initiate action to prevent and control such practices.
The Centre has enacted the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, along with the Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012, to provide for registration and regulation of both Government and private clinical establishments of recognized systems of medicine, excluding those of the Armed Forces. States and Union Territories that have adopted the Act are primarily responsible for regulating hospitals, including private hospitals, to ensure affordable and quality healthcare. Under the Act, clinical establishments must meet minimum standards and display rates prominently, and District-level registering authorities headed by the District Collector or Magistrate are empowered to take action, including imposing penalties, for violations.
