Health Ministry Issues New Guidelines For CGHS-Empanelled Hospitals

The Health Ministry has introduced comprehensive guidelines to address complaints of overcharging and denial of treatment by hospitals empanelled under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS). The measures aim to ensure transparency, standardisation, and accountability in healthcare services for beneficiaries.

Key Highlights of the Guidelines

• Standardised Care: Empanelled hospitals must adhere to uniform treatment protocols for common procedures and ailments, ensuring consistent care across facilities.
• Transparent Pricing: Hospitals are required to display CGHS-approved rates for all services, enabling beneficiaries to understand costs upfront and avoid hidden charges.
• Pre-Approval for Costly Treatments: Expensive procedures will require prior approval from CGHS to prevent unnecessary treatments.
• Accountability in Denials: Hospitals must report and justify any treatment denial to CGHS, promoting fairness and transparency.
• Compliance Enforcement: Non-adherence to these guidelines could result in penalties, including delisting from the CGHS network.

The Ministry also specified that in cases of patient death or coma, signatures of the patient’s attendants, along with their mobile numbers, must be included on final bills for services like daycare, laboratory tests, and dialysis.

Hospitals are further directed to notify the CGHS additional director's office about non-referral cases, emergency admissions, and consultations within 24 hours via email.

These guidelines aim to strengthen beneficiary protection, ensuring ethical practices and quality care under the CGHS framework.