To address frequent complaints of excess billing by private hospitals and nursing homes, the West Bengal government is set to introduce amendments to the Clinical Establishment Act. The proposed changes aim to ensure transparency in the billing process by making it mandatory for hospitals to charge only the amount declared at the time of patient admission.
According to the state administration, multiple cases have emerged where hospitals initially offered a fixed treatment package but issued significantly higher bills at the time of discharge. The amended bill will include provisions requiring hospitals to strictly follow the communicated package cost. Any variation will need to be justified and informed in advance to the patient’s family.
The revised bill is expected to be tabled in the upcoming monsoon session of the West Bengal Assembly. Once passed, the law will apply to all registered private hospitals and nursing homes in the state, with the objective of enforcing fixed-rate treatment policies.