Methodology: how we collect and present prices
Every number on TrustClinix comes from an official, published source. This page explains how we collect it, what each price type means and the quality rules every page must pass.
1. Sources
We only use primary sources: government rate lists, national payment data and official price lists. The full list is on the sources page. We record the date we retrieved each source and keep a copy.
2. Price types
| Price type | Country | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| CGHS package rate | India | Fixed rate CGHS-empanelled hospitals charge CGHS beneficiaries. Varies by city tier (I, II, III), NABH accreditation and ward. Implants are billed separately. |
| Medicare national average | United States | Average total Medicare pays (facility and doctor fees) for an outpatient procedure, plus the average patient copayment. |
| Jan Aushadhi MRP | India | Maximum retail price of generic medicines at government-backed Janaushadhi Kendras. |
| NADAC | United States | National Average Drug Acquisition Cost: what retail pharmacies pay to buy a medicine. |
| NHS Drug Tariff (Category M) | United Kingdom | Price the NHS pays pharmacies in England and Wales for common generic medicines. |
3. Reference prices for comparisons
To compare countries we use one reference price per country: for India the CGHS Tier I NABH package rate (semi-private ward), and for the United States the Medicare hospital outpatient national average total. These are different kinds of prices, so comparisons are a guide, not a like-for-like quote.
4. Ranges
We show ranges rather than a single number. For CGHS, the range runs from a Tier III non-NABH hospital to a Tier I NABH hospital. For Medicare, it runs across the settings where the procedure is done.
5. Currency conversion
Prices are shown in local currency first. US dollar amounts use the European Central Bank euro reference rates of 23 October 2026, cross-converted to USD.
6. Yearly cost estimates
Yearly costs for long-term conditions add up a simple, clearly stated example plan (medicines, tests and doctor visits) priced with official rates. They are examples only. A doctor decides the actual treatment plan.
7. Publish rules (quality gate)
A page is only published if it has enough real data: at least one official source, a complete price set for that page, and data checked within the last 12 months. Pages that do not pass are not published. A yearly cost page needs at least three separately sourced cost items.
8. Updates and corrections
We re-check sources at least every 6 months, and sooner when a source announces new rates. The "prices last checked" date on each page shows when its data was last retrieved. Errors are fixed and logged on the corrections page.
9. Use of AI
We may use AI tools to help draft explanatory text. All numbers come directly from source data, and all text is checked by a person. Medical explanations are marked as pending medical review until a qualified clinician has reviewed them.