Hospitals still violating govt order on pricing of coronary stents

With major hospitals rampantly violating government order on capping prices of coronary stents, the Centre's bold move to provide affordable healthcare treatment to countrymen has been abandoned by the errant private hospitals.

According to latest report of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), 40 hospitals gave 'knowingly' violated the price fixation order of the government between the period of February 14 to March 15 periods. After examining the papers, the NPPA has referred most of the cases to State Drug Controllers (SDC) for 100 per cent auditing.

Some of the major hospitals against whom NPPA has received complaints of overcharging of stents are Max Hospital, Saket (New Delhi), Lilawati Hospital, Mumbai, Fortis Escorts Hearts Institute, New Delhi, Metro Hospital, Faridabad (Haryana), Yenepoya Speciality Hospital, Mangaluru, etc.

Recently, the apex drug price regulator revised the prices of cardiac stents due changes in the World Price Index (WPI). According to the NPPA order, the drug eluting stents will now be priced at Rs 30,180 and dare metal stents at Rs 7,400.

The complaint against Max Hospital, Saket for overcharging had come to the notice of NPPA on February 17. After finding hospital's reply inclusive, the NPPA has started 100 per cent auditing of all cases. Though, the national drug price regulator has received all the sought documents, the examination of papers are under progress.

The complaints against Metro Hospital, St Philomenas Hospital, PGI Hospital, Chandigarh, Lilawati Hospital, Fortis Escorts Hearts Institute, Delhi Heart Institute & Multispecialty, Punjab have been referred to state drug controllers for 100 per cent auditing of all such cases.

Notably, complaints have been filed against these hospitals earlier too for breaching the government notification on stent pricing.