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AP fixes CT / HRCT Scan fees, complaints can be lodged on 1902

No hospital or diagnostic center in the State shall charge more than Rs.3,000 for CT /HRCT Scan

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government on Sunday fixed a cap for fees charged for CT scan services by private hospitals, scanning centres, and laboratories at Rs 3,000. The computerised tomography (CT) scan has become a key tool to detect Covid-19 infection and the government has warned against violation of the fee cap.

The government stepped in to regulate the fee after it received several complaints against exorbitant fees by the private entities for CT scan to diagnose Covid-19. Anil Kumar Singhal, principal secretary government health, medical and family welfare department, issued GO 47 on Sunday fixing the CT scan fees.

Medical and health minister Alla Kalikrishna Srinivas alias Nani appealed to people to lodge complaints by calling to 1902 if they found the collection of excess amount more than Rs 3,000 for CT scanning and assured about taking stern measures against norm violating hospitals and labs.

He directed all hospitals and labs to display boards about CT scanning fees without fail on their premises and to give bills to every patient. The minister directed all hospitals, labs, and scanning centres to upload details of all suspected Covid-19 persons into the government website.

He warned of the cancellation of licenses if the fee cap was not adhered to.

The order stated that it was found that exorbitant charges are levied for CT Scan which results in reduced accessibility and affordability leading to missing an opportunity to identify the disease early and also to grade the severity which has an impact on clinical management. The rate for each CT Scan may be fixed across facilities and the public be made known of it.

The order stated that in the current second wave of Covid-19, many cases are being reported which have to be admitted and treated on the basis of CT/HRCT Scan and clinical picture without wasting any further time and to save precious lives. If this important diagnostic test is not affordable and accessible to the general public, then the disease will spread in the community leading to more number of cases and resultant burden on the health infrastructure.

The AP Government decided to make CT/HRCT accessible and affordable to all by regulating rates of CT / HRCT Scan to a maximum of Rs.3,000 including all consumables like PPE, Mask, Spreadsheets, etc. No hospital or diagnostic center in the State shall charge more than Rs.3,000 for CT /HRCT Scan.

All the diagnostic centres, scanning centers and hospitals which are providing CT scan for suspected Covid positive cases directed to register on the website:http://dashboard.covid19.ap.gov.in/ctscan. The government has also directed them to upload the name, phone number, CT / HRCT Image, and signed copy of the CT / HRCT Report for every CT/HRCT scan done. These details shall be made available to all hospitals in the state to access and make an admission on the basis of the image and report.

The state government, which has included the treatment of Covid patients in the YSR Aarogyasri scheme, has so far provided free medical services to 1.01 lakh covid patients.

A total of Rs 309.61 crore was spent on this. It was learnt that since April last year, the government has started free treatment for Covid patients in private network hospitals

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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