Kerala government moves to regulate private hospital costs: Committee to review treatment charges and medical errors
Making treatment at private hospitals more affordable for ordinary people and curbing excessive medicine prices will be among the key areas of the committee’s inquiry
Kerala's Health Department is establishing a high-level committee to regulate private hospital treatment costs and address complaints of medical errors. This move follows concerns over high healthcare expenses and alleged negligence in private facilities
Kerala's Health Department is establishing a high-level committee to regulate private hospital treatment costs and address complaints of medical errors. This move follows concerns over high healthcare expenses and alleged negligence in private facilities
Kerala's Health Department is establishing a high-level committee to regulate private hospital treatment costs and address complaints of medical errors. This move follows concerns over high healthcare expenses and alleged negligence in private facilities
Kerala’s Health Department will constitute a high-level committee to regulate treatment costs in private hospitals and examine complaints related to medical errors.
The committee will be headed by the Principal Secretary of the Health Department, with the Director of Health Services and the Managing Director of the Kerala Medical Services Corporation as members. Health Minister K. Muraleedharan directed the constitution of the committee following complaints about high treatment costs and medical errors in private hospitals.
Health Department officials said further action would be taken based on the committee’s report. Since late 2023, Kerala has witnessed a wave of private-equity-led consolidation in its hospital sector, with global funds taking controlling stakes in major hospital groups and expanding into mid-sized hospitals.
Making treatment at private hospitals more affordable for ordinary people and curbing excessive medicine prices will be among the key areas of the committee’s inquiry. It will examine measures to ensure that medicines are supplied to patients at prices below the MRP wherever possible. Mechanisms to bring greater transparency to medicine pricing will also be examined.
The committee will examine the costs of various diagnostic tests and surgical procedures at hospitals, as well as room charges. The review will cover general wards and ordinary rooms, with the feasibility of reducing room rent and other accommodation-related charges at private hospitals also to be examined. Charges for various procedures, interventions and other hospital services will be reviewed and rationalised.
The committee will explore the possibility of expanding government insurance schemes to private hospitals to reduce treatment costs. It will also examine a proposal for the government-run Medical Services Corporation to procure medicines and supply them to private hospitals.
The feasibility of allowing private hospitals to procure medicines through the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd will also be considered. The committee will examine complaints relating to deficiencies in treatment, medical errors and other shortcomings.