Confusion prevails among people whether to pay for COVID tests at government authorised private hospitals. The District Collector has clarified that people who take COVID tests at authorised hospitals need not pay. The cost will be reimbursed by the government.
Coimbatore: Confusion prevails among people whether to pay for COVID tests at government authorised private hospitals. The District Collector has clarified that people who take COVID tests at government approved private hospitals need not pay for the tests, as the testing cost will be reimbursed by the government.
Public have been complaining that private hospitals which are approved for COVID treatment are charging hefty amounts for testing. People are unclear, if tests are free or chargeable.
According to sources from private hospitals, patient who visits the hospital for any treatment are subjected to mandatory COVID testing. In one such instance, a patient from Sundarapuram visited a private hospital for cardiac issues. Before admission, the patient was asked to pay allegedly 40,000 for COVID test and treatment.
Shocked by the exorbitant rates, the patient got in touch with an activist and it was brought to the notice of Coimbatore District Collector.
Speaking on this, the Collector said “For COVID testing, those private hospitals approved by the government can charge only Rs.4500 for COVID testing. As the government will reimburse the test cost, the hospitals should not charge testing amount to the patients. However, other charges for treatment will apply in any case."
Responding to this, a Senior Doctor from one of the government approved private hospital in the city noted that the hospital has not received any official communication from the government regarding reimbursement of COVID test cost. “We charge Rs 5,000 for COVID testing. In case of hospitalisation for fever or related symptoms, the cost will vary. But as far as the reimbursement is concerned, we have not received any communication. However, we will check with the district administration and act according to the government rules.“
Seconding him, few other private hospitals also concurred that they have not received any communication from the government or the district administration regarding reimbursement of COVID testing charges.
Public opine that the district administration should sent a clear notification to the hospitals of reimbursing COVID test charges and order them to refrain from charging the patients.