Stents get cheaper but hospitals might raise other costs

Patients can call NPPA helpline to complain about overcharging

An angioplasty that cost about Rs 1.8 lakh last month may cost only about Rs 1.3 lakh now, after the government announced a cap on medical stents. According to government orders, a drug eluting coronary stent that cost Rs 80,000 or more should now be available at Rs 29,600. But, what if the hospital says that stents are not available? Getting it from a distributor may also prove difficult because many of them have pulled stocks out of the market to try and get a better deal from the manufacturer. 

The government’s move is aimed at making stents more affordable