FAS announced the size of the regional margin for PCR tests

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) published the results of checking the cost of PCR tests in private and public medical institutions in all regions of Russia. The spread in the cost of the service is impressive – it ranges from 440 rubles in the Central and North Caucasian Federal Districts to 3483 rubles in the Urals Federal District. At the same time, as recalled by the antimonopoly agency, the actual average cost of PCR testing in Russia is 1345.55 rubles.

A summary of the report can be found on the department’s website.

“In a number of regions, the amount of paid services in state laboratories exceeds the average standard of financial costs for paying for medical care as part of the implementation of the basic CHI program,” the FAS reports. In this regard, the “anti-monopoly” recommend that the constituent entities of the Russian Federation conduct an analysis of tariffs for PCR studies and sampling of biomaterial in state laboratories and ensure that prices are brought into line with the specified standard, taking into account the regional differentiation coefficient.

In addition, the FAS intends to develop a methodology for setting recommended marginal prices for PCR testing in private laboratories and to ensure that measures are taken to expand the presence of commercial laboratories in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation where such laboratories are absent or are represented in the singular.

The fact that the FAS was instructed to check the validity of PCR tests for coronavirus was announced two weeks ago. The deadline for the execution of the order, named by the head of government Mikhail Mishustin, was set for February 1. Also, State Duma deputies announced their readiness to contact the FAS to find out how the agency is going to deal with rising prices for PCR tests.