Maharashtra health bill fails to regulate private hospital rates: advocacy group

A health advocacy organisation has raised concerns that a pending bill in the Maharashtra legislature does not adequately regulate treatment charges at private hospitals, leaving patients vulnerable to unchecked fee structures.

The campaign, which targets cost transparency and affordability in healthcare, has intensified engagement with lawmakers. Activists are meeting with all 21 members of the state assembly's Joint Legislative Committee to push for stricter scrutiny of the proposed legislation.

Campaigners are demanding that Maharashtra's Health Minister convene a comprehensive statewide consultation bringing together health sector organisations, networks, and practitioners to thoroughly examine the bill's provisions before passage.

The push reflects growing concerns among patient advocates and civil society groups about spiralling healthcare costs in private facilities across the state. Without regulatory mechanisms to cap or transparently disclose charges, critics argue the legislation leaves lower-income and middle-class patients exposed to financial hardship from medical expenses.

The advocacy push comes amid broader national discussions about regulating private healthcare costs and ensuring equitable access to treatment regardless of economic status.