Mumbai, Oct 29 (PTI) The Maharashtra government on Thursday fixed rates for PET-CT scans and contrast agents used in CT and MRI tests at government medical colleges and hospitals, introducing three categories of patients to streamline charges and ensure eligible beneficiaries receive free services.
The decision of the state Medical Education Department comes amid confusion over charges at facilities operating under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, where rates for PET-CT (Positron Emission Tomography - Computed Tomography) scans and contrast agents were not clearly defined, said a government order.
Many economically weaker patients depend on government-run medical colleges and hospitals for treatment, including advanced diagnostic tests. The government has now specified the rates and payment procedures to bring uniformity across these facilities, it said.
"Under the new order, a whole-body PET-CT scan, with or without intravenous contrast, will cost Rs 10,250 for paying patients. The charge includes FDG, a substance used in the scan, and is 50 per cent lower than the Rs 20,500 package rate under Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY)," the government resolution (GR) said.
The government has fixed the rate for contrast agents used in CT scans at Rs 420 for 50 ml and Rs 830 for 100 ml. The charge for 10 ml of gadolinium-based contrast used in MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans has been set at Rs 950, it said.
The order classifies patients into three categories: those eligible for free services, paying patients, and sponsored or referred patients.
Eligible patients will not be charged for the prescribed investigations. Beneficiaries covered under MJPJAY and the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) will also receive the specified tests free of cost under the respective schemes.
Patients who do not qualify for free services will pay the applicable charges through the hospital's billing desk. Sponsored or referred patients will be charged according to the full rates specified in agreements with service providers, the order stated.
The government said the rates were finalised after a comparative assessment, as the absence of fixed charges had led to variations in the amounts collected by different institutions.
"To prevent further confusion, all payments must be made through the hospital's billing desk. Patients and their relatives cannot pay private service providers directly, either in cash or online. Violations could invite action under the terms of the agreement," it said.
Hospitals have been directed to display the rates and payment procedures prominently in Marathi and English. The order takes immediate effect and applies to PET-CT facilities operated under the PPP model at government medical colleges and hospitals.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)