Process for pricing healthcare services begins

LAHORE: The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has initiated the process for pricing healthcare services at all kinds of healthcare establishments (HCEs) following the orders of the Lahore High Court.

The Punjab government, in this regard, has notified ‘The Punjab Healthcare Commission (Pricing of Healthcare Services) Regulations 2023’. The Punjab Healthcare Commission has established a pricing department to actualise the process of fixing prices of various types of healthcare services.

As per the regulations, each healthcare establishments will undertake activity-based costing of all healthcare services being provided by it, including but not limited to commonly undertaken procedures including ancillary facilities.

The Punjab Healthcare Commission will notify a framework containing the features and requirements, which every healthcare establishments will require to follow and fulfill while determining the cost of their services and procedures.

After completion of the costing exercise in accordance with the notified framework, and adding a profit margin not exceeding 20 per cent of the actual cost, each healthcare establishments will submit it to the Commission along with a complete record for formal approval.

Moreover, the pricing department of the PHC will take all possible measures to ensure that all healthcare establishments, and persons working or employed comply with the regulations.

The department will take action against violating healthcare establishments and healthcare service providers by suspending services, sealing the premises or any part of it, imposition of a fine or may give any other appropriate order or direction as deemed necessary under the particular circumstances.

These actions will be taken upon complaints or if irregularities are found during monitoring. Chief Executive Officer PHC Dr M Saqib Aziz has directed the pricing department to complete the pricing framework at the earliest.

“The Commission will continuously work towards the provision of the best possible treatment facilities at the fixed reasonable costs,” he said, adding that all healthcare establishments would display the approved rates at conspicuous places of their premises.