Docs found taking commission for prescribed tests

The sting operation was conducted by a private news broadcaster - News Nation on receiving complaints from patients regarding the exorbitant price being charged by these clinics.

For example, the sting revealed that while the actual cost of an MRI scan is Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000, these centres charge some where between Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000. The excess amount is paid as a commission to the doctors who had prescribed the test.

In another instance, over 50 per cent is paid as commission in case of MRI with angiography. 

The actual cost of the test is Rs 5,000 as against Rs 12,000 charged, while Rs 7,000 is paid as commission.

In the two-hour long video, the channel’s reporters are seen visiting at least nine such diagnostic centres and found that hefty commission is offered to the doctors for referring the clinics. Some of the staff members informed that even doctors of government hospitals are paid commission for prescribing tests from their clinic.

The fact that doctors are paid commission for referring another doctor is not new. 

But as high as 50 per cent commission is charged which almost doubles the cost of such tests. 

Commission to the tune of around 50 per cent for plain MRI scan, 40 per cent for CT scan and 20-40 per cent for other blood test is charged by diagnostic centres.

Some of the centres on which the sting was conducted are Diwan Chan Imaging and Research Centre, City X-Ray and Scan Clinic, Star Imaging and Pathology Lab, Orbit, Global N2 Imaging, SRL, Prime and Unique Lab among others.