Maharashtra govt reduces COVID test in private labs to Rs 2200
Mumbai, June 13, 2020: Coronavirus screening fees in private hospitals in the state have been halved compared to earlier. Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope gave this information today. Maharashtra is the first state in the country with more than 1 lakh infected cases, where corona examination fees in private labs were reduced. Now the corona test will cost Rs 2200.
The Health Minister said that the fee of Rs 4500 taken in the private lab was very high. After that, we formed a committee which recommended the examination fee in the private lab to Rs 2200. The fees will be charged for collecting samples of oral saliva through viral transport media (VTM) at the hospitals. However, Rs 2800 fees will be charged from sample collection from homes. Earlier, Rs 4500 and Rs 5200 were being taken for this.
The Health Minister said that District Collectors can reduce the prices further by talking to private labs. If private labs charge more than this, legal action will be taken against them. There are 42 labs in the state for COVID-19 test. In Pune, there are 13 private labs, hospitals where COVID tests are being done.
Over 3 lakhs got tested in private labs: As of Saturday morning, 6,43,057 people underwent corona examination till Saturday morning, of which 3,37,672 were tested from government labs and 3,05,385 from private labs.
