Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Colostomy supplies in Hyderabad and what they cost | CION Cancer Clinics
A month of colostomy supplies costs most families somewhere between a few restaurant meals and a month's groceries, depending on bag type and brand. You buy them from the hospital pharmacy, surgical shops near large hospitals, the manufacturer's distributor or online. This page explains what drives the bill, what you actually need, where to buy, and what Aarogyasri and insurance do and do not cover. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
MM
Medically reviewed by Dr. Muralidhar MuddusettyConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery, AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- What do colostomy bags cost in India, and where do you buy them?
- Which set-up sits in which cost band?
- What you actually need, and what is optional
- The four places supplies come from, compared
- How do people keep the monthly bill down?
- Four things families tell us about supplies, and what is actually true
- Setting up your supply for the first few months
- Common questions about colostomy supplies and cost
The short answer
What do colostomy bags cost in India, and where do you buy them?
A month of colostomy supplies costs most families somewhere between the price of a few restaurant meals and the price of a month's groceries, depending on the bag type and the brand. You buy them from the hospital pharmacy, from surgical supply shops near the big hospitals, from the manufacturer's own distributor, or online.
What actually drives the monthly bill
Three things. How many bags you use, which depends on closed versus drainable and on how well each one seals. Whether the bag is a domestic or an imported brand. And how many extras you add: rings, paste, powder, remover wipes and belts. Two people with the same stoma can spend very different amounts.
What is not usually included in the surgery bill
The surgical package normally covers the first few bags used in hospital and the first teaching session. Supplies for home are almost always a separate, ongoing expense, and cover under Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS and cashless insurance varies widely. Ask about this before discharge, not after the first box runs out.
Prices change with GST, brand and shop. Ask for a written price before buying a box.Indicative cost
Which set-up sits in which cost band?
Relative bands for a month's supplies, not quotes. Where you land depends on your stoma, your skin and your cover.
Lower band
Domestic drainable one-piece
A drainable bag from an Indian maker, emptied several times a day and changed every couple of days. Fewest bags per month.
Middle band
Imported one-piece, closed or drainable
Better filters and softer adhesives from the large international makers. Closed bags in this band cost more per month because you use one or two a day.
Higher band
Two-piece convex with accessories
A convex base for a sunken stoma, barrier rings, paste, remover wipes and a support belt. Chosen for stubborn leaks, on a nurse's advice.
Indicative only, for 2026. Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS and EHS are accepted for the operation itself, and most cashless insurers are empanelled. Cover for supplies used at home varies between schemes and policies, so your out-of-pocket cost is often different from the shop price. Call the helpline for an estimate against your own cover.
What to buy
What you actually need, and what is optional
Most people need only the first two. The rest solve a specific problem and should be bought when the nurse names it.
Bags
Closed bags are thrown away when full. Drainable bags are emptied and worn for a couple of days, so a box lasts longer. Boxes are cheaper per bag than loose pieces.
Ask the nurse to write down
- The product code and size
- Closed or drainable
- Pre-cut or cut-to-fit
Adhesive remover and dry wipes
Remover wipes or spray let the base come off without tearing skin. Plain water and a soft cloth do the cleaning, so branded cleansing wipes are a convenience, not a need.
Barrier rings, paste and powder
Rings and paste fill creases and dips so the base seals. Powder dries raw skin so a bag can stick. All three are for leaks or sore skin, and most people never need them once the stoma settles.
Belts, covers and disposal bags
A support belt helps with heavy work or a bulge beside the stoma. Cloth covers are for comfort under a saree or kurta. Newspaper does the job of disposal bags.
Buy a belt only after your surgeon has looked at the stoma and the muscle around it.Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
Where to buy
The four places supplies come from, compared
Source
What to know
Hospital pharmacy
Convenient at discharge and stocks what the nurse fitted. Often the highest per-piece price.
Surgical supply shops near large hospitals
Usually cheaper by the box and carry several brands. Check the expiry date and that the box is sealed.
Manufacturer distributor or helpline
The large makers run India helplines, send samples of a new size or type, and can name a stockist in your district.
Online pharmacies and marketplaces
Good prices on boxes for someone in a district town. Order by exact product code, and allow a week for delivery.
Spending less without more leaks
How do people keep the monthly bill down?
The biggest saving is fewer bags, not cheaper bags. A drainable bag worn for a couple of days replaces several closed bags. A hole cut to the right size stops leaks, and every leak is a wasted bag plus sore skin that then needs powder and rings.
Buy by the box, and buy the right thing
Loose bags from a pharmacy cost noticeably more per piece than a sealed box. Once the stoma has stopped shrinking, usually a couple of months after surgery, switch from cut-to-fit to pre-cut in your settled size. Until then, buy cut-to-fit, because a box of pre-cut bags in a size the stoma has outgrown is money thrown away.
Use the manufacturer, and use the nurse
The large makers give free samples when you want to try a different type, and their helplines will tell you which nearby shop stocks it. A stoma nurse can often move you to a domestic brand that seals as well for your stoma as an imported one. Ask before switching on your own, because a brand that suits a neighbour may not suit your skin.
Keep every bill and the prescription. Some insurers and employers reimburse supplies against them, even when the scheme does not pay up front.Commonly believed
Four things families tell us about supplies, and what is actually true
"Imported bags are always better."
They often have softer adhesives and better filters, and for some skin that matters. For many people a domestic bag seals just as well at a lower price. The right bag is the one that stays on for the expected time. Let the nurse fit you, not the price tag.
"Washing and reusing a closed bag saves money."
Washing destroys the adhesive and the charcoal filter, so the reused bag leaks and smells, and the leak costs more in skin damage than the bag saved. If money is tight, switch to drainable bags, which are made to be emptied and worn again.
"Aarogyasri will cover the bags for life."
Cover for the operation is one thing. Cover for supplies used at home is separate, changes over time and is often limited or absent. Ask the scheme desk at your hospital what is included, in writing, and plan for supplies as a household expense until you know.
"Any medical shop will have them."
Most district pharmacies do not stock stoma bags, and the one box they have is often the wrong type or size. Before you travel home, get the product code and the name of a stockist or online seller, and take at least a month's supply with you.
Getting organised
Setting up your supply for the first few months
Before discharge
Ask the stoma nurse to write the product code, size and type on your discharge sheet. Take a photograph of the box. Go home with enough bags for at least a month.
First week at home
Register with the manufacturer's helpline and ask for samples of one alternative. Find your nearest stockist and one online seller, so you have two sources.
Re-measure and reorder
Measure the stoma each week. When it stops changing, order pre-cut bags by the box in that size. Reorder when you open the last third of a box, never when it is empty.
Review at the clinic visit
Bring an empty box and a leak diary if you have had leaks. The nurse can change the type or brand, and can write a letter for your insurer or employer if reimbursement is possible.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about colostomy supplies and cost
How many bags will I use in a month?
It depends on the type. Closed bags are changed once or twice a day, so a month can take a box or more. Drainable bags are emptied and worn for a couple of days, so far fewer are used. Leaks add to either figure.
Are colostomy bags covered by Aarogyasri?
The operation is usually covered where the hospital is empanelled. Supplies for use at home are a separate question, and cover is often limited or absent. Ask the scheme desk at your hospital in writing, and call the helpline with your card details so we can check what applies to you.
Does health insurance reimburse the bags?
Some policies reimburse stoma supplies as post-hospitalisation expenses for a period after surgery, against bills and a prescription. Others exclude consumables. Ask the insurer directly, and keep every bill from the first day.
Can I buy bags online safely?
Yes, if you order by the exact product code and size, from a seller that shows the manufacturer's sealed box and an expiry date. Avoid loose or repackaged bags. Keep a spare box at home so a late delivery is not an emergency.
Do I need a prescription to buy them?
No. Stoma bags and accessories are sold without a prescription in India. A written note from the nurse with the product code helps the shop give you the right item, and a prescription is useful if you will claim reimbursement from an insurer or employer.
What if I cannot afford the imported brand I was fitted with?
Say so to the stoma nurse at once. There are domestic brands at a lower price, and drainable bags reduce the number used. The nurse can fit an alternative and the manufacturer can send samples first. A cheaper bag that seals well is a better outcome than an expensive one you ration.
Is there anything free or subsidised?
Manufacturers give samples, and some run patient programmes with a starter pack. A few ostomy associations and charities help people who cannot pay. Availability changes, so ask the stoma nurse what is currently open rather than relying on what a relative was told last year.
How should I store the bags in a hot house?
Flat, in the sealed box, in the coolest room, away from the kitchen, the sun and the bathroom. Heat softens the adhesive and damp weakens it, and a bag stored badly will not stick however carefully you apply it. Do not put them in the fridge.
What moves the figure
What affects the cost
Four things change the total more than anything else.
The technique used
A shaped or image-guided delivery costs more than a conventional one, and is chosen on clinical grounds rather than preference.
How many sessions
The total is driven by the number of sittings or cycles, not by a single per-visit figure.
Supporting tests
Scans, blood work and pathology done alongside treatment are billed separately.
Your cover
Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS or cashless insurance usually change the out-of-pocket figure substantially.
Paying for it
Insurance, schemes and payment
What you actually pay usually differs a great deal from the sticker figure.
AarogyasriEmpanelled. Bring the card and a referral where you have one.
CGHS / ECHS / EHSAccepted at CION centres for eligible treatment.
Cashless insuranceMost major insurers are empanelled. Pre-authorisation is handled by our desk.
Self-payItemised estimate given before treatment starts. No EMI scheme exists.
Accreditation and empanelment
- NABH
- NABL
- ISO 9001:2015
- ArogyaSri empanelled
- CGHS accepted
- ECHS accepted
- EHS accepted
- Major cashless insurers
Meet the Specialists
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Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
Surgical Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Hematologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
Surgical Oncologist
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Where to find us
Our centres in and around Hyderabad
Addressed by landmark, because that is how this city navigates. A surgical consultation can be booked at any of these centres through one helpline, and your team will tell you where the operation itself takes place.
Warangal
Vizag
Sources
- NHS — Colostomy
- American Cancer Society — Ostomies
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Colostomy
- Cancer.Net — Financial considerations
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Colectomy Under Aarogyasri and InsuranceWhat the schemes cover for the operation itselfChanging a Colostomy Bag: Step by StepA good seal is the biggest saving; here is how to get oneLife With a Colostomy BagWork, travel and a typical day once the routine is settledStoma Nurses and Ostomy Support in HyderabadWho can refit you to a cheaper bag that still sealsCost, Insurance and Schemes for Cancer SurgeryThe wider picture on what surgery costs and who pays
Talk to us
Want an estimate against your own cover?
Call the helpline with your scheme card or policy details. We will tell you what the operation and the supplies are likely to cost you out of pocket, and connect you to a stoma nurse. One helpline serves every CION centre.