As the number of cases is increasing in the country and in Maharashtra looking to provide a relief to the people the state government has now reduced the rates of the COVID-19 tests conducted by private laboratories from Rs 4,500 to Rs 2,200 informed Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Saturday.
Tope said the lowering of rates for the tests would provide relief to the people. “Rs 2,200 will be charged for collecting the swabs through viral transport media (VTM) from hospitals, while it would cost Rs 2,800 for collection of a swab from home. Earlier, the charges were Rs 4,500 and Rs 5,200 respectively†he said.
Tope informed that the revised rates are the maximum these labs can charge. District collectors can negotiate with private labs to reduce the rates further.
“If the private labs charge more than the prescribed upper limit, legal action would be taken against them,†he said.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has allowed 44 government and 36 private laboratories in the state to carry out coronavirus tests.
While the tests are free at the government-run laboratories, the ICMR had fixed charges at private labs at Rs 4,500.
