The state of the country's hospital system today is no longer the suffering of a single individual, but rather the shared experience of millions of ordinary citizens. Medical care, once considered a field of service and compassion, has gradually become an organized profit-driven industry, where a person's pocket, insurance, and social status are more important than their illness. The glitz, air-conditioned corridors, and modern machinery of large private hospitals may create the illusion of progress from the outside, but within, a system operates that is nothing less than economic torture for the common man.
Today, if an average person goes to a major hospital for treatment, the first question isn't about their illness, but about their ability to pay. At the reception, admission counter, or even before meeting the doctor, they're asked whether they have health insurance, whether they're in a government or private job, and whether they'll pay in cash or without cash. The answer to this one question determines the patient's entire treatment. As soon as it becomes clear whether the patient is covered by insurance or falls under a government/corporate scheme, the hospital's attitude completely changes. Instead of treatment, a systematic profiteering process begins.
Having insurance should mean security, but today it has become a license for many private hospitals to operate without recourse. Overly expensive medications are prescribed, for which cheaper and equally effective alternatives are readily available. Tests are ordered that have neither a direct connection to the disease nor a significant role in determining the course of treatment. MRIs, CT scans, repeated blood tests, special panel tests—all are added in the name of "routine." Patients and their families blindly trust the doctor, believing he or she is doing so for their own good, when the reality is often the opposite.
The most worrying situation arises when a patient is kept in the hospital even after their condition has improved. Patients who, under normal circumstances, could be discharged in four or five days are deliberately kept admitted for ten or fifteen days. The reason is clear—the longer the stay, the higher the bill. Bed charges, nursing charges, doctor visits, medications, consumables—the bill continues to balloon with each passing day. More than the patient's health, the focus is now on fully utilizing the insurance claim limit.
The common man is the most helpless in this entire process. He lacks medical knowledge and the ability to understand the hospital's complex billing system. If someone asks questions, they are threatened with fears that treatment could be affected, or they are so entangled in technical terms that they find it best to remain silent. Sometimes, the patient's family members even feel they are being deliberately misled, but when the sick person's life is at stake, few have the courage to protest.
The situation in government hospitals is also far from satisfactory. While treatment there is inexpensive or free, overcrowding, lack of resources, and chaos force patients to wait in queues for hours. Due to a shortage of beds, staff shortages, and unavailability of medicines, many people are forced to turn to private hospitals. Private hospitals exploit this compulsion to their advantage. In a way, the weakness of the government system is further strengthening private exploitation.
Health insurance schemes, intended to provide financial security to the common man, are now, in many cases, having the opposite effect. An unspoken nexus appears to exist between insurance companies and hospitals, with the patient becoming merely a conduit. False or inflated bills, unnecessary procedures, and systematic looting under the guise of a package system—these are no longer exceptions but the norm. Sadly, ethics are being left behind in this entire game.
It's also common to see that the cost of treating the same illness varies for different patients. For those without insurance, the treatment is often described as "low cost," while for those with insurance, the same illness becomes many times more expensive. What greater contradiction could there be? The illness is the same, the treatment is almost identical, yet the bill differs drastically simply because of the source of payment.
The most frightening aspect of this situation is that people are gradually losing faith in the medical system. Doctors, once considered gods, are now viewed with suspicion. Every prescription, every test, and every advice is being questioned, whether it's necessary or merely a means of earning money. This distrust is dangerous for society as a whole, because without trust, no system can last long.
The government's responsibility becomes crucial here. Health cannot be left to the market alone. Without strict regulation, a transparent billing system, and effective monitoring, it is difficult to control private hospitals. Clear and strictly enforceable rules should be in place regarding treatment rates, bed charges, test and drug prices. Independent audits and robust grievance redressal mechanisms should be mandatory in the insurance claims process to ensure patient access to justice.
At the same time, strengthening government hospitals is equally important. Until the common man has access to reliable, accessible, and quality government healthcare, he will continue to be prey to the exploitation of private hospitals. Health must be viewed not as an expense, but as an investment—an investment made in the nation's greatest asset: the lives of its citizens.
Ultimately, the question isn't just about the system, but also about mindset. Are we willing to treat treatment solely as a means of profit, or do we want to see it as connected to humanity and service? If concrete steps aren't taken in this direction in time, the day is not far when the medical bills will become more frightening than the disease itself. And when treatment becomes a source of fear, we should understand that the system is seriously ill—and delaying its treatment now could prove fatal for society as a whole.

Email:--------------------------------priyankasaurabh9416@yahoo.com