Haryana caps rates of HRCT chest scan, other tests

Gurgaon: In some relief for Covid-19 patients and those getting tested for diagnosis, the Haryana government on Monday reduced the price of HRCT chest scans from Rs 2,100 to Rs 1,800.
An HRCT, or high-resolution computed tomography chest scan, is commonly used to assess the health of lungs in Covid patients.
Similarly, a brain MRI will now cost Rs 3,000 (with contrast) and Rs 2,200 (without contrast), an MRI Orbit Rs 2,300 (with contrast) and Rs 1,700 (without contrast), an MRI PNS Rs 4,000 (with contrast) and Rs 2,500 (without contrast) and CT PNS Rs 1,800 (with contrast) and Rs 1,000 (without contrast). Earlier, there were no fixed rates and the price would vary from one lab to the other.
The rates are inclusive of all expenses involved in testing, including PPE, documentation, reporting, films, taxes and other charges. However, they do not apply to CT scan centres providing services to the health department under PPP mode, for which the existing rates would prevail.
A notification in this regard was issued by additional chief secretary (health) Rajeev Arora. Non-adherence to the order can invoke penalty under IPC Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).
“We have informed all labs and hospitals not to charge more than the new prices. Keeping in view the rise in mucormycosis cases post-Covid, these investigation rates have been capped by the government,” said Dr Virender Yadav, chief medical officer, Gurgaon.
The Haryana government had on May 25 capped the rates of HRCT chest scan at Rs 2,100 for the first time. It had also capped the prices of other lab investigations, such as IL-6, D-Dimer, LDH, CRP, Procalcitonin and Ferritin, required for diagnosis or treatment of Covid and post-Covid patients, at Rs 1,000, Rs 400, Rs 250, Rs 350, Rs 1,500 and Rs 300, respectively. In case of home collection, there was an extra charge of Rs 200 per visit, irrespective of the number of samples taken.
The decision to cap the rates had been taken after it was observed that several private hospitals, diagnostic centres and labs were charging uneven and exorbitant rates.