West Bengal hospitals must clarify billing and costs

The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) is urging hospitals to be more open about their billing practices. They want hospitals to clearly communicate with patients and their families if costs rise above the initial estimates provided at admission. During a meeting with representatives from 47 private hospitals, WBCERC discussed the need for affordable treatment. They received complaints from hospitals about patients leaving without settling their bills. Chairman Justice (retd) Ashim Kumar Banerjee emphasized the importance of informing patients about any increase in costs, especially if a treatment package initially quoted at Rs 1.5 lakh escalates to Rs 4.5 lakh at discharge. Dr. Sukumar Mukherjee, a WBCERC member, highlighted the need for standard treatment protocols and cost transparency. He pointed out that significant price differences for tests among hospitals raise questions about fairness. The commission noted that while they suggested a 10% to 20% discount on certain medical items, some hospitals do not follow these guidelines. They believe that such discounts could significantly lessen patient bills. WBCERC also requested data from hospitals regarding their bed capacity and the number of patients admitted under government health schemes over the past three years. Although refusals of treatment under these schemes are decreasing, some issues persist. Hospitals were reminded to keep at least 10% of their beds available for these patients.