Maharashtra: COVID-19 Rapid Antigen test will now only cost INR 150

The Maharashtra government has brought down the price of RT-PCR tests and rapid antigen tests by almost 50 per cent. Amid a spurt in infections, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope announced the reduction on Wednesday, March 31.

Taking it to Twitter, Rajesh Tope wrote, “If the test samples are taken at a person's home, the RT-PCR test would cost from INR 500 to INR 800. Meanwhile, the price of rapid-antigen tests has also been capped at INR 150.”

राज्यात खासगी प्रयोगशाळांमध्ये करण्यात येणाऱ्या कोरोना चाचण्यांचे दर पुन्हा एकदा सुधारित करण्यात आले असून आता कोरोना निदानासाठी करण्यात येणाऱ्या आरटीपीसीआर चाचणीसाठी 500 रुपये आकारण्यात येणार आहे.

— Rajesh Tope (@rajeshtope11) March 31, 2021

This is the fourth time that the test rates have been cut down in the state. After the start of the outbreak in 2020, the charges for an RT-PCR test in Maharashtra were INR 4,500, which were slashed over time by the state government to ease the burden on people.

"There is ample availability of material required for these tests. This is why the state government has decided to bring down the prices of these tests," Tope said.

While talking to reporters, Dr. Pradeep Vyas, principal secretary of the public health department said, "The new rates for RT-PCR test are fixed at INR 500, INR 600 and INR 800. If you giving samples at the collection centre, INR 500 will be charged for the test. For the same test at a Covid Care Centre or a quarantine centre, the charges will be INR 600 and to collect the swab from home, the labs can charge INR 800.”

"No private lab can charge more than these prescribed rates," he added.

Moreover, Vyas said that for another test under CLIA method antibodies test, the charges will be INR 350, INR 450 and INR 550 respectively, while for the rapid antigen test the amount will be INR 150, INR 200 and INR 300 respectively.

According to reports, Maharashtra reported 39,544 new coronavirus cases, 23,600 discharges, and 227 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the state's health department on Wednesday, March 31. The total cases reached 28,12,980 including 24,00,727 recoveries and the death toll reached 54,649.