Indian medical billing, explained
Background reading on NPPA ceiling prices, CGHS rate schedules, the IRDAI non-payable list, and the legal scaffolding behind every flag Jaanch fires.
NABH accreditation explained: what those four letters on your hospital bill actually mean
NABH is a voluntary hospital quality certification. It affects your CGHS rates, your insurance reimbursements, and sometimes the room rent you pay. Here's what the certification actually covers, what it doesn't, and how to check your hospital.
Read articlePMJAY (Ayushman Bharat): how the package rate works, and what to do if a hospital bills you despite eligibility
PMJAY covers ~60 crore Indians for ₹5 lakh of hospitalisation per year. The scheme works on package rates, not itemised billing. Here's how to check eligibility, the common package rates, and the grievance path when a hospital tries to bill you anyway.
Read articleInsulin GST is 5%, not 12%: why getting this right saves a diabetic ₹2,400 a year
Insulin sits on the GST concessional list at 5%, not the general medicine slab at 12%. Pharmacies still get this wrong. Here's why insulin is treated as concessional, the HSN code that applies, and how to spot the wrong rate.
Read articleCoronary stent prices in India: the 2017 NPPA cap, what the law actually allows, and what your bill should show
In 2017 NPPA capped coronary stents and prices crashed 85%. Eight years on, the ceiling still binds — but hospitals have found other lines to add. Here's the current cap, the four common overcharges that work around it, and what a clean stent bill looks like.
Read articleCGHS NABH vs non-NABH rates: which one applies to your hospital, and how to tell when the wrong one is being billed
CGHS publishes two rates for the same procedure. The gap can be 15% or more. Here's how to figure out which one your hospital is entitled to, with worked examples for common surgeries.
Read articleRoom rent GST: the ₹5,000/day rule (and the ICU exemption nobody tells you about)
The ₹5,000/day room rent GST rule introduced in Budget 2022, the ICU carve-out, and worked examples — exactly when a hospital room charge attracts GST and when it doesn't.
Read articleIRDAI non-payable items: what your health insurance won't cover (and why your hospital bill shows them anyway)
The IRDAI Master Circular's standardised non-payable list, the ~70 items it covers, why they still show up on hospital bills, and how to handle them when filing an insurance claim.
Read articleHow to dispute a hospital bill in India: the step-by-step guide
A practical playbook for disputing a hospital bill — what to ask for at the discharge counter, how to escalate to the medical superintendent, when to involve the state Clinical Establishments Act authority, IRDAI ombudsman, or consumer court.
Read articleGST on hospital bills in India: when you're being wrongly charged
The full guide to GST on Indian hospital bills — what's exempt under Notification 12/2017, the ₹5,000/day room-rent rule from Budget 2022, the ICU carve-out, and how to spot the four most common GST overcharges.
Read articleBrand-name vs generic medicines: how to read your hospital pharmacy bill
Why Indian hospital bills print 'CROCIN' instead of 'paracetamol', how to find the generic name behind a brand, and how NPPA ceiling prices apply only at the generic level.
Read articleUnderstanding NPPA ceiling prices
What NPPA ceiling prices are, who sets them, and how to spot a hospital pharmacy charging above the government cap.
Read articleHow CGHS rates work and when to use them
CGHS rates are an Indian government benchmark for hospital procedures. They are a reference, not a cap — but a powerful one when used correctly.
Read article