Labs overcharging for Covid-19 test despite price caps, allege residents

Residents alleged that private laboratories and hospitals are overcharging them for Covid-19 tests, despite the government on Tuesday capping the price for a Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test at ₹450 and an additional ₹200 for home collection

Residents alleged that private laboratories and hospitals are overcharging them for Covid-19 tests, despite the government on Tuesday capping the price for a Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test at ₹450 and an additional ₹200 for home collection.

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According to residents, private labs are citing a shortage of staff and a need to pay additional incentives for sample testing for charging them more than the specified prices.

Tanisha Kumar, a resident of DLF Phase 1, said that she contacted two private labs to get samples collected for all her family members after they started exhibiting symptoms on Monday. “The lab technician charged ₹1,250 per sample and said the prices are fixed as they do not go on home visits for lower than that. On Wednesday, I called another private lab as I was doubtful of my result and they charged me ₹750 for the same test,” she said.

Sohna Road resident Arun Sarwan, who got three of his family members tested, said he paid ₹1,000 per sample on Wednesday. “When I asked the lab why they are charging extra, they said all the technicians are overworked and they are paying them an extra incentive for home collection. They said they are working more than 14 hours a day and have to travel to different parts of the city, risking their lives,” he said.

Yash Garg, the deputy commissioner of Gurugram, said that they will take action against labs that are violating the orders and issue notices. “We haven’t received a complaint against any lab. We will take prompt action if anyone comes forward (with a complaint),” he said.

Dr Virender Yadav, chief medical officer of Gurugram, said, “Action will be taken against labs if the department will receive any complaint against them.”

Even as officials warned of action, representatives of private labs said the price cap for RT-PCR test is not viable and it will eventually, lead to a dip in testing.

“The situation is challenging for us as the prices fixed are too less and our staff has to travel across the city. With the fixed price, it will be difficult to run the operations. A delegation of lab representatives is planning to meet the deputy commissioner this week to request an increase in the price,” an executive of a private lab said, requesting anonymity.

Representatives of private labs said that residents are ready to pay additional charges for home testing as they want to avoid exposure by visiting hospitals.

Dr Santosh Kumar, the managing director of Times PathLabs Private Limited in Sector 14, said, “Many people are ready to pay more for the test because they want samples to be collected from home. Since labs have been overburdened with samples and their staff was tested positive, home collection has got affected.”

Many labs also reported a shortage of RT-PCR kits and stopped home collection of samples on Wednesday.

It is for the seventh time that the state health department on Tuesday revised the test cost and fixed separate rates for samples given directly at the lab and those collected from residences.