Pvt hospital conducts antigen test for Covid, charges ₹1500

LUCKNOW: While private hospitals are only allowed to do RT PCR and TrueNat tests for COVID-19, a patient has accused an Indira Nagar-based private hospital of carrying out his COVID antigen test at whopping Rs 1500.

The maximum charge for COVID-19 test at a private hospital is Rs 900.

The said patient had gone to see a chest physician at a private hospital in Indira Nagar, but the doctors asked him to first get a rapid antigen test done for Covid.

“I got the test done and was charged Rs 1500,” said the patient, who lives in the same area.

“No private hospital is allowed to do antigen test. I have got the receipt of the test against a payment of Rs 1500. We shall inquire from the hospital how and why did they conducted this test,” said additional chief medical officer Dr MK Singh.

The state government has fixed Rs 700 as fees for one RT PCR test if the patient visits a diagnostic lab, and if the samples are collected from home Rs 900 are to be charged. The medical colleges charge Rs 600 for RT PCR Covid test. Government hospitals are conducting RT PCR test for free. The RT PCR is the gold standard confirmatory test for Covid.

“We shall soon visit the hospital take stock of the antigen kits if they have any and also find out from where they got the kits, when private hospitals are not supposed to conduct antigen test for patients,” said Dr Singh.

Rapid antigen tests are being conducted under random sampling by the health department, particularly for passengers who have symptoms but are boarding bus, trains and flights.