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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider COVID-19 swab test 'price ceiling' proposed by DOH

COVID-19 swab test 'price ceiling' proposed by DOH

Published Sep 21, 2020 02:29 pm

The Department of Health (DOH) said Monday it submitted a recommendation to the President to provide a “price ceiling” for coronavirus disease swab test to reconcile varying prices of the test in the country.   

(JANSEN ROMERO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they have noticed varying price of swab test for the dreaded disease across different laboratories in the country.

This prompted the department to recommend to the President the issuance of an executive order setting a price ceiling in order to regulate the prices charged for swab tests.

“Nakapag-submit na kami sa Office of the President ng recommendation for an executive order issuance dahil napansin natin yung differential pricing across the different labs in the country (We have already submitted to the Office of the President a recommendation for an executive order issuance because we noticed the differential pricing across different laboratories in the country),” Vergeire said during a virtual press briefing.

“Nakikita natin yung malaking difference between labs as to how much swab testing costs. Hinihintay natin na bigyan tayo ng tugon kung saka-sakaling ma-approve (We are seeing a big difference between laboratories as to how much swab testing cost. We are waiting for the response if it is approved),” the Health official added.

According to Vergeire, they are pushing for an executive order because “under a law specifying the prices of medicines, diagnostic and professional fees are not included.”

“That is what we have tried to study, at ito ang ating hinihiling na baka (and this is what we are asking) for this pandemic situation, we may be able to have this executive order so that we can somehow regulate the prices of swabs, or prices of testing for COVID-19,” Vergeire stressed.

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