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

Published on: May 12, 2021, 23:34:45 IST

By Leena Dhankhar, Gurugram

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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.

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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More