Karnataka: Hospitals to include drug purchase price in bills

The order applies to government hospitals, private healthcare facilities and hospitals managed by trusts.

Bengaluru: Hospitals across Karnataka will have to disclose the purchase prices of medicines in bills issued to patients from November 1, following a new directive from the state’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The order applies to government hospitals, private healthcare facilities and hospitals managed by trusts. The move is aimed at improving transparency in medical billing and preventing patients from being charged unfairly for medicines and medical supplies.

As per the new instructions, hospitals must provide detailed information about every medicine supplied to patients. Bills should include the medicine’s name, brand, batch number, manufacturing date and expiry date, along with its purchase price. The FDA has also reiterated that hospitals cannot charge patients more than the maximum retail price (MRP) specified on the product.

The disclosure requirement is expected to help patients understand medicine-related expenses and verify the charges imposed by hospitals. By making procurement costs visible on bills, the authorities intend to reduce confusion over pricing and strengthen accountability in the healthcare sector.

Medicine expenses often form a significant component of hospital bills, particularly during prolonged treatment and hospitalisation. The new rule is expected to give patients and their families clearer information about the medicines supplied and the prices charged.

All hospitals covered by the directive will need to ensure that their billing procedures comply with the requirements before the implementation date. The revised system will require the relevant details to be recorded and displayed clearly on patient bills.

The FDA’s decision marks a step towards standardising medicine billing practices across Karnataka’s healthcare institutions. The department aims to safeguard consumer interests by ensuring that patients receive transparent information about medicine costs and are not billed beyond the permitted retail price.