Health groups seek regulation of private hospital charges, medicine margins

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The Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA) and the Working Group on Access to Medicines and Treatment have called for regulation of charges levied by private hospitals and ceilings on trade margins for medicines, medical devices and medical consumables, amid renewed scrutiny by the Supreme Court of pricing practices in hospital pharmacies.

The groups, in a statement issued on Monday (October 5, 2026), said patients continued to face high and arbitrary charges for treatment, medicines and consumables, with limited avenues to challenge hospital bills.

The Supreme Court has recently questioned steep markups on medicines sold through hospital pharmacies and practices that require patients to purchase medicines from hospital-linked pharmacies. The court has also asked the government to examine regulation of trade margins.

Pricing vs determining charge

“The problem extended beyond the pricing of individual medicines to the broader question of how private hospitals determine charges for procedures, services and consumables. Private healthcare has expanded enormously in India, but regulation has simply not kept pace,” said Abhay Shukla, co-convener, JSA. He added that patients often had little bargaining power at healthcare facilities.