1 hr ago
Maharashtra Hospitals Face Scrutiny Over Steep Medical Item Markups
Some private hospitals buy medical supplies cheaply and charge patients much more for them.
For example, one drip set cost the hospital Rs 11 but was marked at Rs 325.
A syringe bought for less than Rs 7 was marked at Rs 57.
An audit examined bills from critical patients in private hospitals across Maharashtra.
It found that none of the 46 medicine brands checked stayed within the 10% markup limit set during the pandemic.
A paracetamol drip costing about Rs 33 was billed at Rs 408.
An antibiotic bought for about Rs 180 was billed at Rs 950.
Maharashtra’s FDA commissioner has asked the central government to limit these markups because they can make patients’ bills much higher.
Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe cited large markups on medical items sold by private hospitals.
A drip set costing a hospital Rs 11 was reportedly marked at Rs 325.
A syringe purchased for under Rs 7 was reportedly sold for Rs 57.
An audit found that none of 46 examined medicine brands stayed within the pandemic-era 10% markup limit.
Patients were commonly charged 200-400% above hospitals’ procurement prices, with some medicines billed over 12 times their cost.
- Who
- Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, private hospitals, and patients treated in those hospitals.
- What
- Hospitals were reported to be charging substantial markups on medicines and medical supplies compared with their purchase prices.
- Where
- Private hospitals across Maharashtra, India.
- When
- The examples were released recently; the cited patient-bill analysis was conducted previously as part of an audit process.
- Why
- The reported markups increase patients’ medical bills; Tukaram Mundhe asked the central government to limit them.
Key facts
- Drip set example
- Purchased for Rs 11; printed price was Rs 325.
- Syringe example
- Purchased for under Rs 7; marked for sale at Rs 57.
- Medicines examined
- 46 medicine brands were compared with hospitals’ procurement prices.
- Pandemic markup limit
- The analysis referred to a 10% markup limit fixed during the pandemic.
- Common margin range
- Hospitals commonly charged 200-400% above procurement prices.
- Paracetamol drip example
- Purchased for about Rs 33; billed at Rs 408.
- Antibiotic injection example
- Purchased for about Rs 180; billed at Rs 950.
Sources
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