Supreme Court modifies its April 8 order stating that private labs can charge for COVID-19 tests
The Apex Court has on April 13, modified its earlier order stating that free testing for COVID 19 would be available to persons eligible under the Ayushman Bharat scheme and any other category of economically weaker sections of the society.On April 8, the Supreme Court had passed an order that COVID-19 sample tests conducted at government and private labs should be done free of cost....
The Apex Court has on April 13, modified its earlier order stating that free testing for COVID 19 would be available to persons eligible under the Ayushman Bharat scheme and any other category of economically weaker sections of the society.
On April 8, the Supreme Court had passed an order that COVID-19 sample tests conducted at government and private labs should be done free of cost. The government has been asked to reimburse the cost to private labs for these free tests.
The Court stated that Private labs can continue to charge the payment of Rs. 4,500 from people who can afford the fee as fixed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
The Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and Ravindra Bhat stated that “Free testing for COVID-19 shall be available to persons eligible under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana as already implemented by the Government of India, and any other category of economically weaker sections of the society as notified by the Government for free testing for COVID-19, hereinafter.”
The order further stated, “The Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare may issue necessary guidelines for reimbursement of cost of free testing of COVID-19 undertaken by private labs and necessary mechanism to defray expenses and reimbursement to the private labs.”