BIS to host Manak Manthan Technical Discussion on Requirements and Recommendations for Template / Format of Hospital Bills WC Draft - SSD 05 (27799) on 30th Oct 2025
Background and Need
Inconsistent and non-transparent hospital billing practices have long been a source of confusion and disputes between patients and healthcare providers. The absence of a uniform billing structure often results in poor clarity of charges, lack of comparability across hospitals, and difficulties in auditing and reimbursement. Recognizing these issues, this standard aims to bring uniformity, transparency, and accountability in the billing practices of healthcare organisations across India.
Scope
This standard prescribes the mandatory and optional elements to be included in hospital bills issued by all types of healthcare organisations — including hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic centres, and outpatient clinics.
Key Features
Standardized Bill Format: Provides a common structure for both summary and itemized hospital bills (Annex A and Annex B).
Transparency and Clarity: Mandates clear itemization of all charges such as room rent, consultation fees, procedures, medicines, consumables, investigations, and miscellaneous expenses.
Patient-Friendly Information: Ensures legible, bilingual (English/regional language) bills with simple terminology.
Regulatory Compliance: Aligns billing format with Indian GST laws and other statutory requirements.
Digital and Physical Availability: Prescribes the use of uniform A4 format and digital accessibility (e.g., PDF) for record and ease of transmission.
Inclusion of Key Identifiers: Requires details such as UHID, Clinical Establishment registration number, and GSTIN for traceability and authenticity.
Benefits of Implementation
1. Enhanced Transparency: Patients can clearly understand each component of their medical expenses, minimizing disputes and grievances.
2. Uniformity Across Healthcare Sector: A common billing template ensures comparability and standardization across hospitals and clinics.
3. Improved Accountability: Mandated inclusion of statutory and clinical details strengthens trust and regulatory compliance.
4. Ease of Digital Integration: Facilitates interoperability with digital health records, insurance claim systems, and government health schemes.
5. Patient Empowerment: Builds patient confidence through simplified and standardized presentation of charges.
6. Administrative Efficiency: Streamlines hospital billing processes and supports auditing, reimbursement, and data analytics.
Conclusion
Implementation of this standard will significantly enhance transparency, efficiency, and trust in healthcare billing practices. It represents an important step towards a patient-centric and
accountable healthcare ecosystem in India.