MUMBAI: After opposing the Draft Clinical Establishment Bill last month over its failure to cap private hospital rates, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA) investigated daily admission costs. Its analysis of five hospitals across Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur found that admitted patients face daily treatment expenses of Rs 24,000 to Rs 62,000 — more than the average Maharashtrian’s monthly income of Rs 29,000 (as per 2025-26 economic survey).Around 40 lakh people in Maharashtra are estimated to be pushed into poverty every year by mounting healthcare expenses, according to past studies.“During the Covid pandemic, lakhs of patients in Maharashtra faced massive overcharging by private hospitals,” JSA said, adding that the draft bill neither standardises treatment rates nor provides clear action against excessive billing.The draft replaces the Nursing Homes Registration Act, 1949, a change long demanded by the association of over 1,000 organisations working in healthcare and policy. However, JSA said it weakens existing safeguards. Dr Abhay Shukla, JSA national convener, pointed out that the provision banning detention of dead bodies over unpaid bills has been dropped.The pan-India Clinical Establishments Act, 2010 and Rules, 2012, as well as the current nursing home law, require hospitals to charge within govt-determined rates. This provision is also missing from the draft.JSA has demanded caps on procedure and consultation rates, a ban on excessive billing and detention of patients or bodies, and mandatory written cost estimates. It also wants enforceable patient rights, evidence-based treatment guidelines and district- and state-level grievance mechanisms with refund powers.JSA members will launch a state-wide campaign and meet the 21 MLAs of the joint select committee, including opposition members. They will also ask health minister Prakash Abitkar to hold public consultations.
