Overcharged for tests, says lawyer; SRL denies claim

Gurgaon: A city-based lawyer has complained to the health department that he was overcharged for a Covid-19 test by private lab SRL Diagnostic. Although the Haryana government has capped the cost of the RT-PCR test at Rs 1,600, the complainant alleged that the lab charged him Rs 2,600.
The Haryana government had on June 19 reduced the rate for Covid test to Rs 2,400 from Rs 4,500. On August 28, this was further reduced to Rs 1,600.
The 37-year-old lawyer, who lives with his family in Sector 49, said he got his wife, 35, and their five-year-old daughter tested on September 6. Their results later returned negative.
“The lab charged Rs 2,600 for each test. This is not only more than what’s mentioned in the latest government notification, it is also more than the pre-notification cost. They charged the amount on the basis of ‘collection charge’. This is a scam to harass citizens,” the man said, adding that when he contacted the lab, they said they had not got any communication from the government about a change in the cost.
A spokesperson for SRL said, “We are charging as per the directives of the government. Currently, the cost is Rs 1,600 for the test in Haryana.”
The health department said it had issued a fresh notification to private labs. “We will ask the lab to refund the amount. Action will be taken if anyone is found flouting rules,” said Gurgaon chief medical officer Virender Yadav.