CGHS ICU and Ventilator Charges Per Day

When a family member is admitted to intensive care, the daily charge is the number everyone wants. Under CGHS the ICU charge is one flat figure that applies to every ward entitlement and every category of hospital, and it already includes room rent.

What is billed in addition to it — the ventilator, oxygen, and the procedures done at the bedside — is listed separately below.

CGHS ICU and Ventilator Charges (effective 13 October 2025)

The ICU and neonatal ICU charge is a single flat figure that applies to every ward entitlement and every hospital category, and it already includes room rent. Ventilator, oxygen and other support charges are billed over and above it.

• ICU / CCU / PICU / MICU / HDU per day, for all ward entitlements, including room rent, all hospital categories — Rs 5,400
• Neonatal ICU per day, including the incubator, all hospital categories — Rs 5,400
• Ventilator charges per day, including associated disposables, Non-NABH — Rs 2,550
• Ventilator charges per day, including associated disposables, NABH — Rs 3,000
• Non-invasive ventilator charges per day, including associated disposables, Non-NABH — Rs 510
• Non-invasive ventilator charges per day, including associated disposables, NABH — Rs 600
• Pneupac ventilator in nursery, per day, Non-NABH — Rs 2,210
• Pneupac ventilator in nursery, per day, NABH — Rs 2,600
• Incubator charges per day, Non-NABH — Rs 1,275
• Incubator charges per day, NABH — Rs 1,500
• Compressed air or piped oxygen, per hour, Non-NABH — Rs 85
• Compressed air or piped oxygen, per hour, NABH — Rs 100

Bedside Procedures in Intensive Care

Super-speciality hospitals are billed at the NABH rate for these codes. The OM sets the non-NABH rate 15% below the NABH rate for the same code.

• Resuscitation / CPR / intubation, Non-NABH — Rs 1,275
• Resuscitation / CPR / intubation, NABH — Rs 1,500
• PICC line (peripherally inserted central cannulation), Non-NABH — Rs 4,250
• PICC line (peripherally inserted central cannulation), NABH — Rs 5,000
• PICC line removal, Non-NABH — Rs 850
• PICC line removal, NABH — Rs 1,000
• Ryle's tube insertion, Non-NABH — Rs 765
• Ryle's tube insertion, NABH — Rs 900
• Nebulisation, per session, Non-NABH — Rs 43
• Nebulisation, per session, NABH — Rs 50
• Exchange transfusion, Non-NABH — Rs 2,975
• Exchange transfusion, NABH — Rs 3,500
• Phototherapy, per session of up to 6 hours, Non-NABH — Rs 340
• Phototherapy, per session of up to 6 hours, NABH — Rs 400

Rates shown are as per the CGHS approved package rates (Office Memorandum F.No.5-16/CGHS(HQ)/HEC/2024(PartI) dated 03.10.2025, effective 2025-10-13) (2025 (effective 13.10.2025)) and are subject to periodic revision. Always verify the latest approved rates on the official source.

The ICU Rate Is Flat, and It Includes Room Rent

The ICU, CCU, PICU, MICU and HDU charge is Rs 5,400 per day for all categories of ward entitlement, and the memorandum states it is inclusive of room rent. The neonatal ICU charge is also Rs 5,400 per day and is stated to include the incubator. Unlike almost every other code in the list, these do not have separate non-NABH, NABH and super-speciality figures.

A separate room-rent line billed alongside an ICU day is therefore not correct, and neither is a higher ICU rate for a private-ward entitlement.

What Is Billed Over and Above the ICU Day

Ventilator support is charged per day over and above the ICU day charge: Rs 2,550 (non-NABH) for invasive ventilation including associated disposables, and Rs 510 for non-invasive ventilation. Oxygen is charged per hour. Bedside procedures such as intubation, a PICC line or a Ryles tube are billed against their own codes.

Emergency Admission Does Not Need Prior Permission

An emergency admission to an empanelled hospital is reimbursed up to CGHS rates without prior permission. Inform the CGHS wellness centre as soon as practicable and keep the discharge summary and the itemised bill, because reimbursement is settled against these code rates.

How CGHS Package Rates Work

A CGHS package rate is an all-inclusive amount covering admission, surgeon and anaesthetist charges, operation theatre, nursing, routine investigations, medicines and accommodation for the standard length of stay. For an investigation, the rate is the whole charge for that test at an empanelled facility.

The 2025 memorandum lists three columns for every code: a non-NABH rate, a NABH rate that is about 15% higher, and for some categories a further super-speciality rate. Which column applies depends on the accreditation status of the hospital or laboratory you are treated at, not on your ward entitlement.

High-value implants, stents, lenses and devices are not part of the package. Where a code says the rate excludes an implant or a drug, that item is reimbursed separately against its own notified ceiling.

Referral and Prior Permission

For planned (non-emergency) procedures, a CGHS beneficiary needs a referral from the CGHS wellness centre and prior permission from the competent authority. Emergency treatment at an empanelled hospital is reimbursed up to CGHS rates without prior permission.

For investigations, the test has to be prescribed by a CGHS medical officer or by a specialist at a government or empanelled hospital for the empanelled laboratory to bill it as a cashless CGHS test.

• Carry a valid CGHS card and follow your ward entitlement (based on pay or pension)
• Use an empanelled hospital or laboratory for cashless treatment up to CGHS rates
• Obtain prior permission and a referral for planned surgery
• Ask for the OM code the hospital is billing against, and check it against the rate list

These Rates Are Revised

CGHS revises its package rates periodically, and the memorandum in force on the date of your treatment is the one that applies. The figures on this page are from the memorandum effective 13 October 2025. Before you plan a procedure, confirm the current figure for your code on the official memorandum linked above.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CGHS ICU charge per day?

Rs 5,400 per day under the memorandum effective 13 October 2025. It applies to ICU, CCU, PICU, MICU and HDU, for all categories of ward entitlement, and it includes room rent.

Is the ICU rate different for a NABH hospital?

No. Unlike most CGHS codes, the ICU and neonatal ICU charges are a single flat figure of Rs 5,400 per day for every hospital category, so there is no separate NABH or super-speciality rate.

What are the CGHS ventilator charges?

Invasive ventilator support is Rs 2,550 per day (non-NABH) and Rs 3,000 (NABH), including associated disposables. Non-invasive ventilation is Rs 510 and Rs 600 per day.

Can the hospital charge room rent in addition to the ICU charge?

No. The memorandum states the ICU charge is inclusive of room rent. If an itemised bill shows both, ask the hospital which code the room-rent line is billed against and raise it with the CGHS wellness centre.

What does CGHS pay for neonatal intensive care?

Neonatal ICU is Rs 5,400 per day including the incubator. Where a baby is nursed in an incubator outside the NICU, the incubator charge is a separate code at Rs 1,275 per day (non-NABH).

Related

• CGHS room rent and consultation charges
• CGHS paediatric surgery rate list
• CGHS rate list for common procedures

Medical Disclaimer

The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.