What Is the Centre Asking J&K Hospitals to Do About Rates, and What Can a Patient Ask For?

What happened?

On 12 October, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava wrote to the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories, including J&K, asking them to ensure hospitals and other clinical establishments prominently display their rates for healthcare services and to review compliance.

What does the law say?

The Ministry cites the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, and the Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012, which require covered establishments to display rates of all services and facilities prominently, in a local language as well as English. The Centre also asked states and UTs to encourage display of package rates for international patients.

Does it set prices?

No. The letter asks for public display of rates, not uniform rates. Enforcement rests with each state or UT and depends on its existing regulatory framework, the Ministry has said.

Where does J&K stand?

In January 2025, the Health and Medical Education Department formed a committee to regulate and standardise the quality and rates of diagnostic tests at private laboratories. According to Greater Kashmir, no rate list has been issued yet. The report also cites a report of MRI charges ranging from Rs 6,000 to Rs 13,000 at some private centres in J&K. Many private diagnostic associations have opposed a uniform rate list, arguing that machinery, equipment and skills vary between labs. We have not seen a response from them to this specific letter.

What can you do as a patient?

• Look for a rate board at the hospital or lab reception before a test or procedure.
• Ask for a written estimate and keep the bill.
• Compare rates across providers before non-emergency diagnostics.

The report is datelined Srinagar and does not describe Jammu-specific implementation steps, so it is not yet clear when Jammu's private facilities will be inspected. This is an area to watch.

Photo: file photo of Government Medical College, Jammu. Source: Greater Kashmir, 13 October 2026.