PANAJI
Goa government on Tuesday issued an order capping the rates charged on Covid-19 testing in approved private and government-run institutions in the State.
Accordingly, uniform rates will now be levied on various categories of Covid-19 diagnostic testing.
Fully automated RT-PCR test has been called at Rs 2,430 while semi-automated RT-PCR test or Truenat test has been capped at Rs 1,400. Conventional RT-PCR test has been capped at Rs 1,188 and rapid antigen testing at Rs 580, according to the order.
Early in October 2020, the government had attempted to standardize and cap the charges on Covid-19 treatment by bringing it under the ambit of its flagship health insurance scheme, the Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana. But the notification had been kept in abeyance without any explanation mere three days after publication of the decision to provide insurance coverage to Covid-19 treatment under DDSSY.
With this latest order capping the rates for Covid-19 diagnostic testing, the State government finally appears to be taking steps to regulate the financial aspect of the pandemic which has claimed 744 lives and affected 51,415 persons in the state as on Tuesday.
