Stent prices reduced 85%, industry says cap overkill

Stents will now be priced below Rs 30,000 apiece following the government's decision to slash their prices by as much as 85%. The government has also made it mandatory for hospitals to bill stents separately from surgical procedures or package costs.

A stent is a mesh tube placed in arteries with a view to improve the blood flow to the heart.

Health activists welcomed the government move as it could lead to a reduction in medical expenses. Apollo Hospitals said it would pass on the benefit to patients but manufacturers are upset over the decision that caps prices of all