Reclaim Your Money From
Hospital Overcharges
BillGuard India compares your hospital bill against CGHS fair-price benchmarks. Generate formal dispute letters and phone scripts citing Indian patient protection laws.
Add Bill Line Items
Tip: Under the Clinical Establishments Act, hospitals must give you an itemised bill with procedure codes if you ask.
Procedure Name
Live Audit Report
No procedures added yet. Use the form to search and add items from your bill.
Negotiation Settings
Customise your details. The letter and script update automatically.
The Dispute Checklist
Follow these steps to audit your bill and protect your rights under Indian law.
30-Day Response Window
Under the Consumer Protection Act 2019, you can expect a formal written response from the hospital within 30 days of a registered dispute letter.
Consumer Forum Time Limit
You can file a consumer complaint within 2 years of the date of service or the date you discovered the overcharge — whichever is later.
No Filing Fee Below ₹5 Lakh
Consumer complaints at District Forums have zero filing fee for claims below ₹5 lakh under the Consumer Protection Act 2019. No lawyer required.
Indian Laws That Protect You
Your real legal protections as a patient in India. Use these in every negotiation.
Clinical Establishments Act, 2010
Requires all registered hospitals to display service rates, provide itemised bills on request, and follow standard treatment protocols. Hospitals cannot refuse an itemised bill.
Consumer Protection Act, 2019
Medical overcharging is a "deficiency in service." You can file a complaint at District, State, or National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions (NCDRC) with no fee for claims under ₹5 lakh.
Ayushman Bharat / PM-JAY
Empanelled hospitals must charge pre-fixed package rates for covered procedures. Overcharging PM-JAY beneficiaries is illegal and can result in de-empanelment of the hospital.
CGHS Rate Card (MoHFW)
The Ministry of Health publishes standardised CGHS rates for 1,600+ procedures. Courts and consumer forums use these as the national fair-price benchmark in disputes against private hospitals.
NMC Code of Ethics
The National Medical Commission forbids doctors from charging excessive fees, ordering unnecessary tests for financial gain, or engaging in "cut practice" with labs and hospitals.
IRDAI / Bima Bharosa
IRDAI mandates cashless claim settlement within 1 hour of discharge. If a hospital inflates bills for insured patients or delays discharge, file a complaint at IRDAI's Bima Bharosa portal.