Mumbai : Eight hospitals under lens over ‘pricey’ stents

MUMBAI: Under the provision of Legal Metrology Act, the state government in the last three months has cracked down on eight major city hospitals that are charging more than the maximum retail price on medical devices like stents, catheter and balloons.

Minister for Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Girish Bapat on Thursday stated that government has filed cases against hospitals under the Consumer Protection Act which has provisions for seven year jail term. Congress MLC Sanjay Dutt raised the issue in legislative council through attention motion. He pointed out that hospitals try to inflate bills by including fees charged by doctors and services provided by hospitals.

Minister added that since FDA is facing staff shortage, it is taking help of retired officers and NGOs to ensure implementation of the law. “The government is also checking on the bills of patients who had taken treatment about six to eight months ago to cross check. Action will be taken against hospitals that overcharge for medical devices,” said Bapat.

He informed that hospitals were found charging about Rs 1.05 lakh to Rs 1.90 lakhs for stents, while it was procured at the rate of Rs 50,000 to Rs 90,000.

Sharad Ranpise of Congress demanded thatthe government should transfer the issue to FDA so that strict action could be taken against errant hospitals.