The centre has urged all States and Union Territories to ensure the prominent display of rates charged for services and facilities offered by Clinical Establishments. The move aims to empower patients to make informed healthcare decisions, prevent billing-related disputes and strengthen trust in healthcare services. Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava has written a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all States and UTs in this regard. Emphasising the importance of transparency in healthcare pricing, Ms Srivastava noted that the conspicuous display of rates will help patients and their families to understand the likely cost of treatment, make informed healthcare decisions and plan their medical expenditure.
In the letter, the Union Health Secretary has called for a review of compliance with applicable regulatory provisions and appropriate measures to ensure that information on healthcare service charges is clearly visible and easily accessible to patients and their attendants. The States have also been urged to facilitate transparent display of package rates for international patients visiting India on Medical and Ayush Visas. This would enable international patients to make informed choices, help minimise pricing and billing-related grievances and further strengthen India’s position as a trusted destination for medical and Ayush care. The initiative also reinforces the Central Government’s commitment to making healthcare delivery more transparent, accountable and responsive to patients’ needs. It ensures that access to clear information on healthcare charges becomes an integral part of patient-centric care.
