Enforce mandate on display of facilities, tariff charts at clinical establishments, anti-corruption body asks T.N. govt.

The Anti-Corruption Movement, Coimbatore unit, has urged the Tamil Nadu government to strictly enforce the mandate to display facilities and tariff boards in all clinical establishments.In a letter to the Chief Secretary, the organisation said that compliance with minimum operational standards is a mandatory precondition for the registration and operation of any clinical establishment as per Section 12 of the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010.Further, rule 9(i) of the Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012 mandates every establishment to prominently display tariff charts for all services and available facilities — a requirement reinforced under the Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishments (Regulation) Rules, 2018.Rule 9(ii) mandates clinical establishments to charge the rates for each type of procedure and services within the range of rates determined and issued by the Central government from time to time in consultation with the State governments, the organisation said.It alleged that almost all private clinical establishments, including hospitals, clinics, diagnostic laboratories and pharmacies, persistently fail to display their service charges despite these clear statutory obligations. Taking advantage of the lack of price transparency, many establishments fleece patients during medical emergencies, it said.According to the organisation, the non-compliance stems largely from lack of inspection and enforcement by local regulatory authorities. It pointed out that the Union Health Secretary issued a directive dated October 12, 2026, instructing all State Chief Secretaries to review regulatory implementation and ensure strict compliance with transparent healthcare pricing.The organisation asked the Chief Secretary to issue immediate instructions, directing regional monitoring committees and health authorities to inspect clinical establishments and verify the display of standard tariff boards and facility listings. It wanted strict penal action be initiated against defaulters. Published - October 29, 2026 05:55 pm IST