Bengal meeting passes invoice that requires hospitals to show costs

Jun 17, 2025 09:20 PM IST The invoice additionally makes it necessary for all personal hospitals and nursing properties to “maintain electronic medical records for each patient through approved software” KOLKATA: The West Bengal meeting on Tuesday handed the West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) (Amendment) Bill, 2025 which requires medical institutions to “prominently display fixed rates and package charges at a conspicuous place within the facility” to convey transparency into the functioning of medical institutions. The invoice additionally mentioned that sufferers ought to be offered correct estimates of all therapy costs earlier than therapy commences. (FILE PHOTO) The invoice additionally proposes to make it necessary for all personal hospitals and nursing properties to “maintain electronic medical records for each patient through approved software”. The invoice additionally mentioned that correct estimates of all therapy costs, which don’t fall inside the ambit of packages and glued costs, have to be offered to the affected person’s household earlier than therapy commences. “Every clinical establishment shall strictly follow the fixed rates and charges, including the package rates, for investigation, bed charges, operation theatre procedures,” the invoice handed by the meeting mentioned. Minister of state for well being Chandrima Bhattacharya launched the invoice within the meeting on Tuesday. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), nonetheless, faulted the invoice, saying it ought to have had provisions for the security and safety of medical doctors and nurses within the hospitals. “It seems that the state government hasn’t learnt any lesson from the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder case. The bill has nothing on safety and security of doctors and nurses. This bill may suit the bigger hospitals in the cities but not the small establishments in the districts. Where is the infrastructure in smaller private hospitals and nursing homes in the districts for e-prescriptions and e-budget? This will force more patients to go out of the state for medical treatment,” Suvendu Adhikari, chief of the opposition, informed reporters. Hospital associations welcomed the laws, saying it will convey transparency in payments and therapy prices. “It is a very good initiative. It would bring more transparency and do away with the misunderstanding about packages and treatment costs. But we also have to keep in mind that medical treatment is very dynamic. In many cases, it doesn’t follow a set pattern. So, if the treatment costs exceed the package costs, it should be reviewed unbiasedly and scientifically,” Rupak Barua, managing director and chief govt officer of Woodlands Hospital and president of the Association of Hospitals of Eastern India, mentioned in a video message.