**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer to the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. †2521 regarding the increase in the price of cardiac stents, to be answered on February 13th, 2026. It addresses concerns about private hospitals depriving patients of reduced stent rates and increasing implantation charges. The document confirms NPPA's regulation of stent prices and outlines requirements for institutions performing angioplasty.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Price Regulation:**
* Coronary stents (Bare Metal Stents and Drug Eluting Stents) are included in Schedule-I of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013).
* NPPA fixes ceiling prices for stents as per DPCO, 2013.
* Current ceiling prices are ₹10,692.69 for BMS and ₹38,933.14 for DES.
* These prices are applicable across the country.
* **Manufacturer and Institution Requirements:**
* Manufacturers, marketers, and importers must sell stents within the ceiling price (plus GST).
* Institutions billing patients directly for angioplasty must comply with ceiling prices.
* Institutions must specifically and separately mention the cost, category (BMS or DES), brand name, manufacturer/importer name, batch number, and specifications of the stents in estimates/proforma invoices/final billings.
* **State Government Responsibilities:**
* Health is a State subject.
* State Governments/Union Territory Administrations are responsible for addressing excessive charges by private hospitals.
* The Government of India enacted 'The Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010' (CE Act) and notified ‘The Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012’.
* The State Governments and Union Territories Administration primarily responsible for regulating their hospitals including private hospitals as per provisions of the CE Act and Rules thereunder to ensure the provision of affordable and quality healthcare to patients.
* Under the CE Act, clinical establishments must display rates and meet minimum standards.
* The CE Act empowers a registering authority at the District level to take actions including imposing penalties for violations.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Patients**
* **Impact:** Patients are intended to benefit from the fixed ceiling prices for cardiac stents, ensuring affordability.
* **Action Required:** Patients should be aware of the ceiling prices and demand transparency in billing, ensuring that institutions comply with regulations.
**Stakeholder: Manufacturers, Marketers, and Importers of Stents**
* **Impact:** These entities are bound by the ceiling prices set by NPPA and must adhere to billing transparency requirements.
* **Action Required:** Must sell products within the set price, be aware of the notification and requirements.
**Stakeholder: Private Hospitals/Nursing Homes/Clinics**
* **Impact:** These institutions must comply with ceiling prices and billing transparency.
* **Action Required:** Comply with ceiling prices for stents, and properly inform patients about the cost, category, brand, manufacturer, batch, and specifications of stents in estimates and billing.
**Stakeholder: State Governments/Union Territory Administrations**
* **Impact:** Responsible for monitoring and controlling excessive charges by private hospitals.
* **Action Required:** Take cognizance of cases of excessive charges, enforce regulations including the CE Act, and ensure affordable healthcare access.
Key Entities Referenced
Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013): A legal order under which the NPPA fixes ceiling prices for drugs, including cardiac stents.
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA): The regulatory body responsible for fixing the ceiling prices of cardiac stents under the DPCO, 2013.
The Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010' (CE Act): Act that provides for registration and regulation of clinical establishments including private hospitals.
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers: The ministry responsible for answering the parliamentary question regarding the increase in price of cardiac stents.
Coronary Stents [Bare Metal Stents (BMS) and Drug Eluting Stents (DES)]: Cardiac stents regulated under Schedule-I of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013).
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †2521
TO BE ANSWERED ON 13th FEBRUARY, 2026
Increase in the Price of Cardiac Stents
†2521. Shri Giridhari Yadav:
Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is true that the patients in private hospitals of the country are deprived of the
benefits of reduction in rates despite the fixation of maximum price for cardiac stents by the
Government, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether there is an increase in stent implantation charges to cover up the reduction in rate
of stents in the country, if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to fix the maximum charges for stents and its
implantation in all private hospitals of the country; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND
FERTILIZERS
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a) to (d): Coronary stents [Bare Metal Stents (BMS) and Drug Eluting Stents (DES)] are
included in Schedule-I of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013) and
accordingly NPPA fixes their ceiling prices as per the provisions of DPCO, 2013. The present
applicable ceiling price for BMS is ₹10,692.69 and for DES ₹38,933.14. The prices fixed under
DPCO, 2013 are applicable across the country. All manufacturers, marketers and importers of
stents are required to sell their products within such ceiling price (plus applicable Goods and
Service Tax). Also, NPPA issued a notification dated 12.2.2018, requiring that institutions
such as hospitals, nursing homes and clinics performing angioplasty procedures using coronary
stents who bill patients directly shall comply with the ceiling prices notified in the notification.
Further, the said notification also requires such institutions to specifically and separately
mention in their estimate / proforma invoice / final billing, etc. the cost of the coronary stents,
its category like bare-metal stent (BMS) or drug-eluting stent (DES), brand name, name of the
manufacturer / importer / batch number / specifications and other details.
Further, as per constitutional provisions, ‘Health’ is a State subject. It is the
responsibility of respective State Government / Union Territory Administration to take
cognizance of cases of excessive amounts being charged by private hospitals and take action
to prevent and control such practices. However, the Government of India, enacted ‘The ClinicalEstablishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010’ (CE Act) and notified ‘The Clinical
Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012’ thereunder to provide for registration and
regulation of Government as well as private clinical establishments belonging to recognized
systems of medicine i.e. Allopathy, Yoga, Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Siddha and
Unani System of medicines, or any other system of medicine as may be recognised by the
Central Government (except those of Armed Forces). The State Governments and Union
Territories Administration which have adopted the CE Act are primarily responsible for
regulating their hospitals including private hospitals as per provisions of the CE Act and Rules
thereunder to ensure the provision of affordable and quality healthcare to patients. As per the
CE Act, all the clinical establishments (Government & private) are required to fulfil the
conditions of minimum standards of facilities and services and inter-alia, display of rates
charged by them at a conspicuous place. The CE Act has empowered a registering authority at
the District level under the chairmanship of the District Collector / District Magistrate to take
actions including imposing penalties in respect of violation of its provisions.
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