diff --git a/app/Config/AuthGroups.php b/app/Config/AuthGroups.php
index 367e071..011bbbf 100644
--- a/app/Config/AuthGroups.php
+++ b/app/Config/AuthGroups.php
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ class AuthGroups extends ShieldAuthGroups
         'billing.ipd.admission.edit' => 'Can edit IPD admission details (date, mode, department, refer, doctors, contact, clinical notes)',
         'billing.ipd.bill.print' => 'Can print IPD bill variants',
         'billing.ipd.discharge.edit' => 'Can edit IPD discharge process details (discount, extra charges, status, date, time)',
+        'billing.ipd.status.manage' => 'Can toggle IPD status between Active and Discharged (controls bill edit lock)',
         'settings.bed_status.view' => 'Can view bed status and bed management screens',
         'settings.charges.access' => 'Can access charges settings',
         'reports.access' => 'Can access reports section',
diff --git a/app/Controllers/Billing/Ipd.php b/app/Controllers/Billing/Ipd.php
index 84b1454..4195bb9 100644
--- a/app/Controllers/Billing/Ipd.php
+++ b/app/Controllers/Billing/Ipd.php
@@ -879,6 +879,57 @@ class Ipd extends BaseController
         return $this->buildDischargeProcessResponse($ipdId, 'Discharge status updated.');
     }
 
+    public function toggleIpdStatus(int $ipdId)
+    {
+        $permission = $this->requireAnyPermission([
+            'billing.ipd.status.manage',
+        ]);
+        if ($permission) {
+            return $permission;
+        }
+
+        if (! $this->request->isAJAX()) {
+            return $this->response->setStatusCode(400)->setJSON(['update' => 0, 'message' => 'Invalid request']);
+        }
+
+        $fieldMap = $this->getIpdFieldMap();
+        if (! isset($fieldMap['ipd_status'])) {
+            return $this->response->setStatusCode(422)->setJSON([
+                'update' => 0,
+                'message' => 'ipd_status field not available in schema'
+            ]);
+        }
+
+        $newStatus = (int) ($this->request->getPost('ipd_status') ?? -1);
+        if ($newStatus !== 0 && $newStatus !== 1) {
+            return $this->response->setStatusCode(422)->setJSON([
+                'update' => 0,
+                'message' => 'Invalid status value (must be 0 or 1)'
+            ]);
+        }
+
+        // Get current status
+        $currentIpd = $this->ipdModel->getById($ipdId);
+        if (! $currentIpd) {
+            return $this->response->setStatusCode(404)->setJSON(['update' => 0, 'message' => 'IPD not found']);
+        }
+
+        $currentStatus = (int) ($currentIpd['ipd_status'] ?? 0);
+        
+        // Update status
+        $update = ['ipd_status' => $newStatus];
+        $this->ipdEditModel->updateIpd($update, $ipdId);
+
+        // Release bed when setting to discharged (status = 1)
+        if ($newStatus === 1 && $currentStatus === 0) {
+            $this->ipdEditModel->releaseBed($ipdId);
+        }
+
+        $statusText = $newStatus === 0 ? 'Active (Bills unlocked)' : 'Discharged (Bills locked)';
+        
+        return $this->buildDischargeProcessResponse($ipdId, 'IPD status set to: ' . $statusText);
+    }
+
     public function billPrint(int $ipdId, int $mode = 1)
     {
         $permission = $this->requireAnyPermission([
diff --git a/app/Controllers/Medical.php b/app/Controllers/Medical.php
index 23c3991..1b2be6d 100644
--- a/app/Controllers/Medical.php
+++ b/app/Controllers/Medical.php
@@ -3511,21 +3511,10 @@ class Medical extends BaseController
             return false;
         }
 
-        foreach (['ipd_status', 'discharge_status', 'discharg_status', 'is_discharged'] as $statusCol) {
-            if (in_array($statusCol, $ipdFields, true) && (int) ($ipd[$statusCol] ?? 0) !== 0) {
-                return true;
-            }
-        }
-
-        foreach (['discharge_date', 'discharge_datetime', 'discharged_at'] as $dateCol) {
-            if (! in_array($dateCol, $ipdFields, true)) {
-                continue;
-            }
-
-            $value = trim((string) ($ipd[$dateCol] ?? ''));
-            if ($value !== '' && $value !== '0000-00-00' && $value !== '0000-00-00 00:00:00') {
-                return true;
-            }
+        // PRIMARY CHECK ONLY: ipd_status = 1 means discharged
+        // No fallback checks - this gives flexibility to edit bills even if discharge_date is set
+        if (in_array('ipd_status', $ipdFields, true)) {
+            return (int) ($ipd['ipd_status'] ?? 0) === 1;
         }
 
         return false;
diff --git a/app/Views/billing/ipd/panel_discharge.php b/app/Views/billing/ipd/panel_discharge.php
index ea6ba42..a848ecf 100644
--- a/app/Views/billing/ipd/panel_discharge.php
+++ b/app/Views/billing/ipd/panel_discharge.php
@@ -22,6 +22,25 @@ if (strlen($dischargeTime) > 5) {
 }
 ?>
 
+<?php 
+$currentIpdStatus = (int) ($ipd->ipd_status ?? 0);
+$canManageIpdStatus = auth()->user()?->can('billing.ipd.status.manage') ?? false;
+?>
+
+<?php if ($canManageIpdStatus) : ?>
+<div class="alert alert-warning border-warning d-flex align-items-center gap-3 mb-3">
+    <div class="flex-grow-1">
+        <strong>IPD Status Control:</strong> 
+        Current status is <strong><?= $currentIpdStatus === 0 ? 'Active (Bills can be edited)' : 'Discharged (Bills are locked)' ?></strong>
+    </div>
+    <div>
+        <button type="button" class="btn btn-sm <?= $currentIpdStatus === 0 ? 'btn-danger' : 'btn-success' ?> js-toggle-ipd-status" data-current="<?= $currentIpdStatus ?>">
+            <?= $currentIpdStatus === 0 ? 'Lock Bills (Set Discharged)' : 'Unlock Bills (Set Active)' ?>
+        </button>
+    </div>
+</div>
+<?php endif; ?>
+
 <div class="row g-3">
     <div class="col-lg-6">
         <div class="card h-100">
@@ -228,6 +247,38 @@ if (strlen($dischargeTime) > 5) {
                     alert(msg);
                 });
             });
+
+            $(document).on('click', '#tab_discharge_content .js-toggle-ipd-status', function() {
+                var currentStatus = Number($(this).data('current') || 0);
+                var newStatus = currentStatus === 0 ? 1 : 0;
+                var action = newStatus === 1 ? 'lock bills (set discharged)' : 'unlock bills (set active)';
+                
+                if (!confirm('Are you sure you want to ' + action + '?\n\nThis will ' + (newStatus === 1 ? 'PREVENT' : 'ALLOW') + ' editing of IPD charges and medical bills.')) {
+                    return;
+                }
+
+                post('<?= site_url('billing/ipd/panel/' . $ipdId . '/discharge/toggle-status') ?>', {
+                    ipd_status: newStatus
+                }).done(function(response) {
+                    if (response && Number(response.update || 0) === 1) {
+                        refreshDischargeTab(response);
+                        if (typeof window.notify === 'function') {
+                            window.notify('success', 'IPD Status', response.message || 'Status updated successfully');
+                        }
+                        // Refresh entire panel to update other tabs
+                        setTimeout(function() {
+                            if (typeof window.loadIpdPanel === 'function') {
+                                window.loadIpdPanel(ipdId);
+                            }
+                        }, 500);
+                    } else {
+                        alert(response.message || 'Unable to update IPD status');
+                    }
+                }).fail(function(xhr) {
+                    var msg = (xhr.responseJSON && xhr.responseJSON.message) ? xhr.responseJSON.message : 'Unable to update IPD status';
+                    alert(msg);
+                });
+            });
         })();
     </script>
 <?php else : ?>