Karnataka plans to regulate private hospital bills, push for uniform treatment rates

Karnataka's health minister met private hospital representatives to discuss standard treatment rates and medicine price transparency. The proposed policy seeks to curb excessive billing and protect patients from financial hardship.The proposed policy aims to make healthcare costs more predictable and ensure that patients are informed about treatment charges before undergoing procedures. (Credits: Sagay Raj)Bengaluru,Oct 23, 2026 11:49 ISTThe Karnataka government is considering a policy to standardise treatment charges in private hospitals and improve transparency in medicine pricing amid concerns over wide variations in medical bills for the same procedures.Health Minister UT Khader held a meeting with representatives of private hospitals at Arogya Soudha on Thursday to discuss measures to reduce the financial burden on patients and address concerns over excessive billing. (Credits: Sagay Raj) During the meeting, Khader called for a standardised rate card for medical procedures and insisted that hospitals display a directory of treatment charges at their reception desks so patients and their families can make informed decisions about healthcare costs.“Treatment charges should be uniform, and a standardised rate card should be introduced so that patients are not burdened with excessive medical expenses,” the minister said. However, hospital representatives expressed reservations about implementing uniform rates, arguing that the quality of infrastructure, facilities and services varies across corporate hospitals.They said these differences could make it difficult to introduce identical prices across all private healthcare establishments.KARNATAKA SEEKS TRANSPARENCY IN MEDICINE PRICING The government has also asked private hospitals to disclose the landing cost of medicines they procure and the prices at which they sell them to patients.Hospital representatives urged the government to hold discussions with pharmaceutical manufacturers to improve transparency in medicine pricing. They claimed that intermediaries retain substantial commissions and that hospitals often procure medicines at prices linked to their maximum retail price (MRP).The discussions also covered concerns over unauthorised increases in MRP and the high cost of life-saving medicines used to treat cancer, heart and kidney diseases. Further consultations with pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors are planned to explore ways to reduce the cost of essential medicines.Private hospitals sought six months to implement the proposed measures. Khader, however, said a blanket six-month extension could not be granted, indicating that implementation timelines would be linked to the rollout of software updates.POLICY TO ADDRESS EXCESSIVE BILLING, PATIENT CONCERNSThe Health Department is examining the possibility of framing a policy to regulate private hospital charges and improve transparency in billing practices. The issue of excessive billing will be discussed further with departmental officials before the government finalises its decisions.The government also said it would formulate a clear policy to prevent hospitals from withholding the bodies of deceased patients over unpaid medical bills.To protect health insurance policyholders from additional charges, the government plans to hold a separate meeting with insurance companies. The discussions will focus on simplifying the claims process and addressing complaints about extra billing.Representatives of private hospitals also raised concerns involving the Fire and Emergency Services Department, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act. The government said these issues had been discussed and steps would be taken to address them.UNIFORM RATES YET TO BE FINALISEDThe proposed policy aims to make healthcare costs more predictable and ensure that patients are informed about treatment charges before undergoing procedures. Displaying rate directories at hospital reception areas is among the measures being considered to improve transparency.Differences in hospital infrastructure, facilities and service standards remain a point of contention, with private hospital representatives questioning whether uniform rates would be practical across establishments.The government has not yet finalised the details of the proposed policy, including the scope of standardised treatment charges and the implementation timeline.Khader said the government was committed to building a more transparent healthcare system, reducing excessive medical expenses and protecting patients from financial hardship.- Ends