The Rajasthan government has capped the price for diagnostic tests and treatment for COVID-19 at private hospitals and laboratories, while listing various medicines, investigations and other services, and incorporating the charges for personal protective equipment (PPE) kit, in the treatment packages.
Medical and Health Minister Raghu Sharma said here that the decision was taken amid reports that private hospitals were charging an exorbitant fee for COVID-19 treatment. While the rate of RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests at private laboratories for COVID-19 diagnosis was fixed at ₹1,200, the cost of treatment was fixed on the basis of accreditation of hospitals by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
According to a notification which has replaced a previous June 20 order, charges for treatment have been kept at ₹5,000 to ₹9,000 per day at hospitals not certified by NABL. At NABL-accredited hospitals, charges would be ₹5,500 to ₹9,900 per day. The treatment cost includes the ₹1,200 for a PPE kit.
Mr. Sharma said the June 20 notification had not specifically mentioned which medicines, investigations and other expenses would be included in the treatment, leading to confusion about the packages offered at private hospitals. The new rates had been fixed to remove the confusion, he said.
The treatment for co-morbidities, including intervention procedures such as central line, chemoport, biopsy, bronchoscopy and ascitic and pleural tapping, would be provided at rates not exceeding those fixed in the Central Government Health Scheme.
The notification stated that action would be taken against hospitals not complying with the orders.