More benchmarks on private hospital fees help, but may not bring down costs: Doctors, healthcare experts

Expanding fee benchmarks for private hospitals may bring greater price transparency and modest savings, but authorities must look beyond pricing controls to tackle the root causes of rising healthcare costs, doctors and experts said. NTU Asst Prof Ashkar Saxena said outcomes would likely vary across patient groups. Patients requiring straightforward, benchmarked procedures without complications may see modest bill reductions. But those who require complex care or new technologies outside the benchmarks could see higher charges if hospitals shift costs to those areas, said Asst Prof Saxena, who is from NTU's School of Social Sciences' economics division. "Overall, benchmarking could slow price growth, reduce unpredictable bills, but immediate savings will vary and we should not expect lower fees overnight."

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