DOH orders health facility to explain non-compliance on price cap for swab tests

DOH Undersecretary and spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday that it is looking into a health facility that allegedly violated the set price range for COVID-19 swab tests.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the department was monitoring the compliance of health facilities with the COVID-19 tests price range directive.

“Meron tayong nakita na isang facility na non-compliant. Tayo ay nagpadala na ng ating letter for them to explain,” Vergeire said in a virtual media forum.

(We discovered one facility that was non-compliant. We have sent them a letter to ask for an explanation.)

“Inaantay natin ‘yung response nila kung ano ang sagot nila, if it’s valid or not…or if they should be penalized,” she added.

(We are waiting for their response, if it’s valid or not… or if they should be penalized.)

Vergeire explained that it is part of the department’s institutional mandates to monitor licensed health facilities under the Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau.

The DOH and the Department of Trade and Industry issued in November an order limiting the price accredited laboratories can charge their patients for COVID-19 swab tests.

Under the joint administrative order of the two agencies, private laboratories can only charge patients between P4,500 and P5,000, while the limit for public laboratories is P3,800.

Laboratories that fail to comply with the order will have their license to operate suspended for 15 days for the first violation and 30 days for the second. They will also be fined P20,000 and P30,000, respectively. A third violation would merit revocation of their license. Zac Sarao, INQUIRER.net trainee

JPV