COVID-19: RT-PCR testing rates slashed from Rs 850 to Rs 500 in Telangana

The Telangana government on Tuesday passed orders revising the rates of COVID-19 RT-PCR tests. The cost of RT-PCR tests has been slashed from Rs 850 to Rs 500 for the samples collected at labs/hospitals and from Rs 1,200 to 750 for the same samples collected from home.

The decision has been taken by the government in the view of increased availability of test kits and a reduction in the cost of both Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) extraction kits and RT-PCR kits.

The department of health, medical and family welfare has directed all the labs and hospitals to display the revised rates strictly following the orders. "All private NABL and ICMR approved labs are instructed to follow the guidelines issued by ICMR from time to time. All labs /hospitals/institutes are instructed to display the revised tariffs prominently and strictly comply with the above orders. Non-compliance shall attract action as per the provisions of the law," it said.

The orders also directed district health and medical officers to closely monitor, enforce the prices strictly and give wide publicity.

Earlier, the government slashed RT-PCR tests cost from Rs 2,200 to Rs 850 at labs/hospitals and from Rs 2,600 to Rs 1,200 for the samples collected at home. At present, there are 18 government-run laboratories and 56 private laboratories in the state that are conducting RT-PCR tests.