Maharashtra puts cap on COVID CT scan rates, cost cut by 60%,

The Maharashtra government has fixed the cost of HRCT scan — also called High-Resolution Computed Tomography Test (HRCT) — at ₹2,000. This comes as a big relief for people since the scan is considered important to assess clinical manifestation of COVID-19.

Effectively, the HRCT cost has come down by about 60 per cent. Since the outbreak began private laboratories are charging ₹4,000-10,000 for an HRCT scan. The test is vital to assess the extent of viral infection in lungs and damage to tissues to decide further treatment line. As per the new notification, for a machine with 16 slice (resolution) CT scan, the test cannot cost beyond ₹2,000, for 16-64 slices the ceiling price is ₹2,500 and for a machine with resolution above 64 slices, cost is capped at ₹3,000.

HRCT scan is conducted at MRI and CT scan centres. At times, doctors use this test even before COVID test results arrive to know how far is the damage to the body, if any. Maharashtra on average records 20,000-25,000 cases every day, and the scan is recommended in at least 20 per cent of cases.

The state government has now directed pathology laboratories to conduct a full scan of lungs, mediastinum, bone window and not just lung scan.

Patients complain that cut practice among doctors is rampant too as labs ask private doctors to refer patients to them.

Last week, the state-appointed a four-member committee to study machine cost and profit margins and fix ceiling rates. Dr Sudhakar Shinde, head of the committee, told Indian Express: “A 16 slice resolution machine costs Rs 50 lakh, one with 16-64 slices costs Rs 3 crore. We fixed rates for the test based on resolution capacity.”