India, Aug. 13 -- A private hospital room in a metropolitan city should not cost more than the average tariff of a three-star hotel room in the vicinity, a parliamentary committee has recommended as part of a series of measures to make healthcare more affordable and curb out-of-pocket expenditure. The 176th Report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, titled "Affordability and Accessibility of Healthcare Facilities in Public and Private Sector" said room charges in private hospitals, particularly in metropolitan cities, need to be rationalised on an "emergent basis". The report was presented in the Rajya Sabha and tabled in Lok Sabha on August 7. Also Read - Rahul calls RSS-BJP 'bunch of jokers', scoffs at PM's foreign policy 'based on hugs' The panel recommended making the three-star hotel tariff benchmark mandatory for all private hospitals in large metropolitan cities. Resident doctor, nursing, disposable consumable, meal and laundry costs may be added to the basic room tariff, it said. It also recommended that the government mandate all tertiary care hospitals to provide patients with a comprehensive and legally binding upfront cost estimate before starting any complex or prolonged medical intervention. Hospitals should also deploy dedicated financial navigators to help patients and their families understand treatment costs, available philanthropic assistance and health assurance limits, it said.
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