Real Hospital Bills From Indian Cities: What you should know

A medical emergency can happen anytime. Be it a viral stomach infection or a serious health issue. In India, we have the best doctors to treat any kind of health issue. Be it a government hospital, nursing home, or private multi-specialty hospital, a person can get the treatment done on any day.

The treatment or right diagnosis is never a challenge, but the biggest concern these days is the hospital bill. Across Indian cities, the cost of hospitalization has become a financial challenge for families.

Over time, healthcare facilities and infrastructure have improved in India but have also become expensive. With this blog, let’s try to understand the cost of hospitalization in Indian cities and how to plan your finances and not get surprised by your medical bills.

Key Highlights:

• Hospitalization costs in Indian cities have sharply increased, straining household finances.
• Bills include more than doctor fees: room, medicines, diagnostics, consumables, and more.
• Tier-1 cities like Delhi and Mumbai have the highest treatment costs in private hospitals.
• Many policies don’t cover OPD, cosmetic treatments, or have room rent sub-limits.
• Choosing insurance with OPD cover and checking exclusions can reduce out-of-pocket expenses.

Hospital Bills From Indian Cities

We often hear people speaking about huge hospital bills, but most of us don't really understand the charges included. The final hospital bills often include charges that go beyond doctor fees, such as room rent, medicines, tests, consumables, patient food, patient dress, registration fees, emergency doctor fees, equipment use, and even gloves and masks.

As per a poll done by the Artha Global policy organization’s Centre for Rapid Insights (CRI) and published in the national daily - english, 53% of the respondents said that they paid for hospitalization costs out-of-pocket.

29% of the respondents said that they used government schemes, while 10% and 9% said that they relied on private and employer insurance, respectively.

Let’s try and understand different types of treatment in different cities to understand the actual healthcare costs in India.

1. Delhi NCR

• Appendix surgery in a private hospital: Rs.80,000 to Rs.1.5 lakh
• Normal delivery (pregnancy): Rs.60,000 to Rs.1,00,000
• ICU for 5 days (non-surgical): Rs.1.75 to Rs.3 lakh

Delhi is a capital city and offers a range of public and private hospitals for treatment to almost all kinds of diseases. While quality treatment is provided, the cost at a private hospital or clinic is significantly expensive. Even a single day's stay in an ICU can cost anything above Rs.35,000.

Check Health Insurance plans in Delhi.

2. Mumbai

• Angioplasty in a mid-range private hospital: Rs.2 to Rs.3.5 lakh 
• Normal delivery (pregnancy): Rs.90,000 to Rs.1.8 lakh
• Dengue treatment (4-day stay): Rs.80,000 to Rs.1.30 lakh

Mumbai has some of the best private hospitals in India but with the steepest prices. A 2-3 day admission for a simple viral fever may cost up to Rs.50,000.

Check Health Insurance Plans in Mumbai.

3. Bengaluru

• Kidney stone removal (laser): Rs.65,000 to Rs.1.20 lakh
• Normal delivery (pregnancy): Rs.75,000 to Rs.1.45 lakh
• Basic fracture treatment and surgery: Rs.80,000 to Rs.1.5 lakh

Even mid-tier hospitals in Bengaluru have rates closer to metros like Mumbai.

Check Health Insurance Plans in Bengaluru.

4. Tier-2 Cities (Jaipur, Lucknow, Indore)

• Appendectomy: Rs.40,000 to Rs.70,000
• Normal delivery: Rs.30,000 to Rs.55,000
• Hospitalisation for typhoid (3 days): Rs.20,000 to Rs.45,000

Check Health Insurance Plans in Tier-2 Cities.

In Tier-2 cities, the cost of hospitalization is comparatively lower, but with more private hospitals opening up to provide updated healthcare facilities, the hospitalization cost is rising fast. 

Other than the treatment cost, several other factors influence your bill. These are:

• Room category: Selection of General ward, Semi private, Private room or a semi deluxe/deluxe room doubles the cost
• Location of hospital (City): Tier-1 cities have higher rates than Tier-2 or smaller towns
• Duration of stay: Longer stay means increased billing for room, nursing, food
• Type of treatment: Surgical procedures are costlier as compared to non-surgical
• Diagnostics, Visit charges and medicines: These often contribute to 35-40% of hospital bills

Health Insurance Is No Longer a Choice

As the healthcare costs in India are rising, having health or medical insurance with adequate coverage is no longer a luxury but has become a necessity. But even after having insurance, you may have to pay some money out of your pocket. Let’s understand some of the common issues with bills and insurance coverage:

• Sub-limits: Check for capping on room rent or specific procedures in policy
• Exclusions: Some specific type of treatments may not be covered, such as cosmetics
• No OPD coverage: Regular OPD consultation or tests are not included in majority of policies

Be wise with hospital bills and insurance

While looking for a policy, one should choose health insurance with OPD cover. This would help people in paying for outpatient treatment via insurance only. Also, here are a few things to note to avoid worry about medical bills:

1. Advance estimate of treatment: You can always request hospitals to provide a holistic cost sheet before admission for a prior TPA approval
2. Check insurance coverage: Not everything is reimbursed - check for list of exclusions
3. Detailed billing: Ask for a line-by-line explanation of billing to see the detailed use of consumables, doctor visits, diagnostic charges, etc.
4. Choose health insurance with OPD cover: This way you can reduce your annual healthcare burden of regular consultation and tests

As we are witnessing a rise in the cost of hospitalization in India, inadequate insurance coverage will make a hole in your savings with high hospital bills. Whether you're in Delhi, Ratlam, or Belgaum, start by reviewing your current hospital insurance to be insured, informed, and alert about your policy.

Please Note: Readers must note that these are indicative figures with scope of correction, and actuals may vary. The pricing mentioned here may vary from actuals

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