NPPA fines health hub for overcharging on stents

On February 13, NPPA had capped the price of drug-eluting stents at Rs 29,600

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on Thursday asked Metro Heart Institute, Faridabad, to pay Rs 1.26 lakh to the department of pharmaceuticals for allegedly overcharging patients for stents.

According to the notice on the pharmaceutical watchdog’s website, the hospital reportedly overcharged two patients. One was billed Rs 60,000 for a stent, while another had to pay Rs 1.25 lakh.

On February 13, the NPPA had capped the price of drug-eluting stents at Rs 29,600 and bare metal ones at Rs 7,000. Since then 40 cases of overcharging have been registered with the NPPA.

The authority clarified the date of billing for stents would be considered while determining on cases of overcharging. “If a patient has an angioplasty done before 14 February, 2017, and is billed on that date or after, the patient will mandatorily get the benefit of the revised prices.”

Besides this case, state regulators are also dealing with a slew of complaints. The Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDA), for instance, has helped refund Rs 50 lakh to patients who were overcharged.

Gujarat FDA Chief H G Koshia told Business Standard, “About 19 hospitals in the state have overcharged patients. We have ordered them to refund and they had followed the order.”

The NPPA had opened a helpline where consumers can lodge their complaints.

It has also turned down the application of Abbott and Medtronic to withdraw some high-end stents, claiming that it was unviable for them to continue selling the devices at the capped prices.

The government has asked stent makers to not withdraw any of their stents. Multinationals have been asked to prove their superiority if they want special prices.