IGI Logo

Indian Medical Association (IMA) has urged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to grant exemption in Goods and Services Tax (GST) for healthcare services. IMA stated that the 47th GST Council meeting has recommended that ‘Like CTEPs, common bio-medical waste treatment facilities for treatment or disposal of biomedical waste shall be taxed at 12 per cent so as to allow them ITC.’

IMA said these facilities were earlier in the GST exempted category and will be taxed post-July 18. 47th GST Council meeting has also recommended that ‘Room rent, excluding ICU, exceeding Rs 5,000 per day per patient charged by the hospital will also be taxed at 5 per cent, without ITC.’ The IMA said that this facility was also GST exempted category and was to be effective from July 18.

IMA said ‘We, as the collective voice of all establishments and doctors of the country, express our serious concerns and objections to these new taxes in the healthcare sector. This step will add big additional cost to the healthcare of people.’ It stated the decision is unfortunate and unfair to the people of the country and decision without input tax credits is going to raise the healthcare cost.