Free COVID-19 Testing Only For EWS, Pvt Labs Can Charge Others, Says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Monday modified its April 8 order and clarified that COVID-19 testing would be free only for those from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and from Ayushman Bharat scheme. The apex court bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and Ravindra Bhat modified the court's earlier order of April 8 directing all government and private laboratories to conduct free COVID-19 testing.

In its order today, the Supreme Court clarified that free testing for COVID-19 shall be available to persons eligible under the Centre's Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana. It also held that any other category of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) as notified by the Government of India, would also be eligible. The apex court order also stated that private labs can charge the testing fee as determined by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

With the modified order clearing the air on the eligibility of categories of individuals for free COVID-19 tests, private laboratories can conduct tests at Rs. 4,500 for others, as spelt out by the Centre earlier. The court further observed that the Centre will have to frame guidelines of reimbursement to private labs for the cost of tests done without charging by them.

The apex Court Bench also directed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to consider whether there were other categories of weaker sections of society apart from the ones covered under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana who would also be eligible for free testing. These categories include workers drawn from low-income groups in unorganised and informal sectors and beneficiaries of Direct Benefit Transfer, among others.