Not overcharged patients for stents: Max Healthcare

Max Healthcare today said it has complied with NPPA orders on stents pricing and has not "overcharged even a single patient".
The company's healthcare facility at Saket in South Delhi is among the hospitals which have been issued show cause notices by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) after preliminary investigations over stents pricing.
"We have not overcharged even a single patient for stent. We have complied fully and immediately with the NPPA order on stent pricing," a Max Healthcare official said in response to queries by PTI.
"We are positive that we will be able to demonstrate our compliance to NPPA order on the ceiling price of coronary stent," the official added.

Earlier, the NPPA said it has issued show cause notices to some hospitals after preliminary investigations over stents pricing.
"After preliminary investigations, show cause notices issued to Max, Saket, New Delhi and Nidaan Multispeciality Hospital, Sonepat, Haryana," NPPA said in a tweet.

It had earlier said it was investigating overpricing complaints against hospitals such as Lilavati Hospital (Mumbai), Max Saket (New Delhi), Metro Hospital (Faridabad), PGI Chandigarh, Ram Murti Hospital (Bareilly), and has alerted the concerned State Drug Controllers.
Comments from the other hospitals could not be immediately obtained.
NPPA had yesterday warned hospitals, stent manufacturers and importers of legal action in case they are found spreading "misinformation" about shortage of the medical device in the wake of price cap.

It had earlier said in a memorandum that as trade margin of 8 per cent is included in the ceiling price of stents, no additional charge except local sales taxes and VAT can be demanded from patients.
The 8 per cent margin also adequately covers hospital handling charges, if any, the regulator had said.
In a major relief to patients, the NPPA last week slashed prices of coronary stents by up to 85 per cent, capping them at Rs 7,260 for bare metal ones and Rs 29,600 for the drug eluting variety.