Supreme Court asks whether government can reimburse charges for COVID-19 testing charges at private labs

As the country deals with over 5,000 cases of Coronavirus, the Supreme Court today asked whether a reimbursement mechanism could be drawn up so that the charges for COVID-19 testing done by private labs could be paid by the government..The Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and Ravindra S Bhat was hearing a PIL filed by Advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi, which sought a direction to the government to make COVID-19 testing free across the country.Today, the Court observed that private laboratories "should not be allowed to charge high amount for COVID-19 testing"..Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the government, laid down the reasons why private labs were roped in.."Almost 15,000 tests are being done by 118 laboratories. This was not sufficient. So private labs had to be roped in for COVID-19 tests. We have involved 47 private laboratory chains. It's a developing situation.".At this point, Justice Bhushan asked whether a reimbursement mechanism could be drawn up. He said,."Don't allow private labs to charge high amount for COVID-19 tests. A mechanism can be created for reimbursement from government for tests.".SG Mehta replied that he will take instructions to check the feasibility of the suggestion..On March 31, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre and authorities concerned to provide free testing facilities for COVID-19 to all citizens in the country..The plea sought a direction to the authorities for ramping up the testing facilities for COVID-19 at the earliest "given the escalating mortality and morbidity rate across the country"..The petition has questioned the March 17 advisory of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) which capped the price for COVID-19 testing in private hospitals or labs at Rs. 4,500. The plea states,."It is extremely difficult for the common citizen to get himself/herself tested in the government hospital/labs and being no alternative in the sight, the people are constrained to pay the capped amount to the private hospital/labs for protecting their lives.".It was further submitted that the impending danger of Coronavirus is extremely serious, given the deprived population of the country, and that testing is the only way to contain the pandemic..It also sought a direction for ensuring that all tests relating to COVID-19 are conducted under National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) or ICMR accredited pathological labs.