If a private hospital refuses your RTI request (or the public authority PIO denies it), escalate through RTI's built-in appeals process, as mandated by Sections 19(1) and 19(3) of the RTI Act, 2005—success rates are high for patient records per CIC precedents. RTI Appeal Process File appeals even if the hospital isn't the direct target (public authority handles it). Stage Timeline Where to File Key Tips First Appeal Within 30 days of PIO response/denial (or 30 days silence) First Appellate Authority (FAA) of same public authority (senior to PIO, e.g., Director of Health Dept) No fee; attach RTI copy, PIO reply. Demand records under MCI Regulations 2002. FAA decides in 30 days. Second Appeal/Complaint Within 90 days of FAA order (or silence) Central Information Commission (CIC) or State Information Commission (SIC) via rtionline.gov.in or post No fee; cite CIC cases (e.g., Prabhat Kumar: private hospital records via regulator). CIC can impose fines on PIO for denial. Additional...
Are India’s corporate hospitals still ours? Or is healthcare slowly slipping out of reach for the common man? Have you ever wondered why hospital bills and insurance premiums in India keep shooting up? It’s not just inflation. There’s a bigger business game playing out behind the scenes. What’s really happening? Some of the world’s biggest money players—especially from the US—are buying up major hospital chains in India. Healthcare in America costs a fortune, and now the same model is being quietly pushed into India. A few hard truths: Big hospitals, foreign control: Large chains like Manipal, CARE, and Aster are now largely owned or controlled by foreign investors. Insurance–hospital nexus: Companies like Policybazaar are moving towards owning hospitals themselves. They sell you insurance, and then make sure your money flows back into their own hospitals. Small hospitals disappearing: Affordable neighborhood hospitals are being taken over or pushed out by big chains,...