Increase in the Price of Cardiac Stents
Increase in the Price of Cardiac Stents
Coronary stents [Bare Metal Stents (BMS) and Drug Eluting Stents (DES)] are included in Schedule-I of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013) and accordingly NPPA fixes their ceiling prices as per the provisions of DPCO, 2013. The present applicable ceiling price for BMS is ₹10,692.69 and for DES ₹38,933.14. The prices fixed under DPCO, 2013 are applicable across the country. All manufacturers, marketers and importers of stents are required to sell their products within such ceiling price (plus applicable Goods and Service Tax). Also, NPPA issued a notification dated 12.2.2018, requiring that institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes and clinics performing angioplasty procedures using coronary stents who bill patients directly shall comply with the ceiling prices notified in the notification. Further, the said notification also requires such institutions to specifically and separately mention in their estimate / proforma invoice / final billing, etc. the cost of the coronary stents, its category like bare-metal stent (BMS) or drug-eluting stent (DES), brand name, name of the manufacturer / importer / batch number / specifications and other details.
Further, as per constitutional provisions, ‘Health’ is a State subject. It is the responsibility of respective State Government / Union Territory Administration to take cognizance of cases of excessive amounts being charged by private hospitals and take action to prevent and control such practices. However, the Government of India, enacted ‘The Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010’ (CE Act) and notified ‘The Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012’ thereunder to provide for registration and regulation of Government as well as private clinical establishments belonging to recognized systems of medicine i.e. Allopathy, Yoga, Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Siddha and Unani System of medicines, or any other system of medicine as may be recognised by the Central Government (except those of Armed Forces). The State Governments and Union Territories Administration which have adopted the CE Act are primarily responsible for regulating their hospitals including private hospitals as per provisions of the CE Act and Rules thereunder to ensure the provision of affordable and quality healthcare to patients. As per the CE Act, all the clinical establishments (Government & private) are required to fulfil the conditions of minimum standards of facilities and services and inter-alia, display of rates charged by them at a conspicuous place. The CE Act has empowered a registering authority at the District level under the chairmanship of the District Collector / District Magistrate to take actions including imposing penalties in respect of violation of its provisions.
This information was given by Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Smt. Anupriya Patel, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.