Thiruvananthapuram | Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Thursday said that the proposed law to regulate treatment costs in private hospitals in the state will help ensure patients' rights and greater transparency in healthcare.

Satheesan referred to the proposed law in an X post days after State Health Minister K Muraleedharan launched the process to frame the legislation by constituting a four-member panel.

The CM said that the four-member panel headed by the Health Department's Principal Secretary will prepare the draft law after examining charges for medicines, diagnostic tests, room rent and procedures.

"The government of Keralam is preparing new legislation to regulate treatment costs in private hospitals and ensure patients' rights and greater transparency in healthcare," he said.

The panel also includes the Health Department Director, Director of Medical Education and Managing Director of the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd (KMSCL), with the Principal Secretary as its chairman.

The panel will consult private hospitals and other stakeholders and make recommendations to reduce treatment costs and improve the quality and transparency of healthcare, patient safety and availability of services, Muraleedharan had said recently.

The committee will also examine regulation of charges for laboratory tests, CT and MRI scans, other diagnostic services, room rent and medical procedures as well as assess the possibility of expanding government health insurance schemes to more private hospitals.