Chennai man claims clinic charged ₹9,900 for tests, medicines during ‘simple fever’ visit: ‘Absolutely not worth it’

A Chennai resident’s claim that he was charged nearly ₹10,000 for consultation and diagnostic tests for what he described as a “simple fever” has sparked a discussion online about rising healthcare costs, patient choice, and the role of diagnostic testing in private clinics.The episode came to light after Prashanth Rangaswamy shared a breakdown of his medical expenses on X. (Unsplash/Representational)The episode came to light after Prashanth Rangaswamy shared a breakdown of his medical expenses on X, saying he was billed around ₹9,900 for consultation, tests, and medicines. “Just a simple fever – went to @ApolloClinics for consultation. Total bill – 9000 rupees. Blood test, swab test etc etc etc. Plus tablets worth 900 rupees. Absolutely not worth it,” Rangaswamy wrote.What did a doctor say? While Rangaswamy did not specify the exact diagnosis or symptoms, the post quickly gained traction. It also caught the attention of Dr Sudhir Kumar, a neurolog associated with Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad.Dr Kumar suggested a more conservative approach to mild illness. “For a simple fever, I do not consult a doctor; I avoid doing tests/investigations; and do not take antibiotics or even paracetamol. I must have saved lakhs of rupees in the past thirty years,” he wrote.Social media reactionsMeanwhile, several users argued that the situation reflected individual decision-making as much as institutional practices. “Simple fever. Rest. Paracetamol. Home food. If not okay, in couple of days, visit near GP. Maximum ₹1200. You made the simple fever more complicated. Apollo doesn’t make calls to you. You decide and you are responsible for the decision. It’s your wrong decision costed 9000,” one user commented.Others pointed to broader systemic issues in India’s healthcare landscape. “The saddest part? Government hospitals have the doctors and the talent but not the infrastructure. Private hospitals have the infrastructure but not the ethics. And the common man is stuck paying ₹9000 for what Paracetamol and rest could have fixed,” another user wrote.“Apollo has good doctors but they do charge a lot. Charges that don’t even seem normal, like outside the hospital the same thing can be done 60-80% at lesser cost,” said another.“Sir…why would you go to Apollo Clinic for a simple fever? Also, did they force the various tests on you? You had a choice. You could have asked for a second opinion from a family physician in the neighbourhood,” commented one user.