I'm very pleased that the Maharashtra government is passing a law which makes the payment of cuts, kickbacks, and commissions to doctors an offense for which they can be punished. I've always been vocal about the fact that kickbacks have corrupted the medical profession and damaged the doctor-patient relationship. These cuts impose a burden on the honest doctors who refuse to give kickbacks and helps bad doctors who are willing to take shortcuts to enrich themselves.
In the long run, it hurts patients as well, because the cost is passed on to them, and they end up paying for these under the table bribes. A practice which was started by a few bad apples has spread wildly like cancer and caused irreparable harm to the reputation of the entire medical profession. Kickbacks seem to have become institutionalized, and it's become very difficult for an honest doctor to survive in private…
