Raghav Chadha flags alleged doctor-lab referral commissions in Rajya Sabha

The Story in Brief

BJP MP Raghav Chadha on Thursday alleged in Rajya Sabha that some doctors and pathology labs operate a referral commission system that raises patients’ bills and encourages unnecessary tests. He said diagnostic centres describe the payments as marketing expenses, while doctors call them referral commissions.

Chadha said the practice, banned by the Medical Council of India in 2002 and by the National Medical Commission in 2023, can add 15 to 20 per cent to bills in some cases. He urged patients to watch for doctors insisting on specific labs, objecting to other accredited centres, or displaying diagnostic-centre promotions in clinics. He said the problem is especially acute in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

The Indian Opinion

The loudest claims here can run in two directions: that every doctor is part of a cut-money network, or that referral payments are harmless marketing. Neither follows from one MP’s allegations. Patients need transparent test recommendations, itemised bills and a fair way to report violations. The practical test is whether the NMC’s 2023 ban leads to documented suspensions and fewer unexplained referrals, not simply more speeches in Parliament.

Source: hindustantimes.com

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