New Delhi, Aug. 13 -- The rising cost of treatment at private hospitals has once again come under scrutiny, with a Parliamentary panel recommending sweeping reforms aimed at making healthcare more affordable, transparent and accountable for patients.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare has recommended that basic room tariffs at private hospitals in major metropolitan cities should be benchmarked against the average rates charged by three-star hotels in the surrounding area.

The recommendation comes amid growing concern over the financial burden faced by families seeking treatment at private hospitals, where expenses can rise rapidly due to room charges, diagnostic tests, doctors' fees, medicines, procedures...