Health Ministry Sets PCR Test Price Ceiling
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16 August 2021 20:50 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Health Ministry announced the price ceiling of Covid-19 real-time polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR test at IDR495,000 for Java and Bali regions. As for regions outside Java and Bali, the highest price is set at IDR525,000.
The ministry's Director General of Health Services Abdul Kadir said that the price difference was attributable to the transportation cost. The new price cap of the swab test will come into effect starting Tuesday, August 17, 2021.
"Because Java-Bali is the trade center, it does not require high transportation costs. But Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Papua will need transportation costs if laboratories are outside Java and Bali," said Kadir in an online press conference on Monday, August 16.
He explained the price reduction was decided after President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo asked to immediately lower the price cap on Sunday, August 15, 2021. The Health Ministry along with the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) thus evaluated the previous policy which set the price ceiling at IDR900,000.
A number of components considered in the calculation of the price cap include services or human resources, reagents, administrative costs, and overhead costs. Kadir said the result of the Covid-19 PCR test must be obtained within 1x24 hours since the test is taken.
"We ask all health facilities, such as hospitals, laboratories, and other healthcare sites that have been set by the minister, to meet the real-time limit of the PCR test," said Kadir.
EGI ADYATAMA
