Ceiling for molecular test prices

The steep rise in infections due to the Omicron variant makes the need for tracking insurmountable and this leads to queues and long waits for citizens wanting to be tested. Every day from six in the morning queues form outside health centers, pharmacies and diagnostic centers.

The huge cost that burdens the pockets of citizens fuels political controversy and causes price gouging in the price of molecular tests with the Minister of Development Adonis Georgiadis planned to make an announcement through MEGA channel today Tuesday for new pricing for PCR tests.

Talk of 40 to 50 euros

For a rapid test in pharmacies and diagnostic centers, prices today start at five euros and reach ten, while the cheapest price for a PCR at the moment is 60 euros, however some diagnostic centers charge 80 euros for fast PCR test services and 120 euros for at home service.

Speaking to MEGA channel, Adonis Georgiadis announced the immediate intervention of the Ministry of Development for the price of molecular tests. Information wants the ceiling that will be announced for the molecular test to be in the range of 40-50 euros.

“In rapid tests the competition has worked and while the ceiling is 10 euros, the citizen can find it in pharmacies and 5 and 6 and 7 euros. In the pcr test, the prices in the private centers have been “locked” at 60 euros, we will see the price of the ceiling again, today this discussion will open. “But you know that they have other costs for the big chains and others for the small diagnostic centers”, the Minister of Development had stated earlier.

Free test for everyone

However, the government is under fire from the opposition, with SYRIZA asking for a prescription and free distribution of the tests to citizens, while communist party KKE demanded free and repeated tests for everyone by commandeering the private diagnostic centers. KINAL spoke about the ceiling on the prices of rapid and molecular tests.

“When a government has nothing to do with reality, it does not feel the need to do anything to support the NSS and its people, it does not care about the health insecurity and the financial burden of the citizens by refusing to prescribe and reimburse the tests (rapid and PCR) leaving them in endless queues outside structures and diagnostic centers “commented SYRIZA, among others.

“We propose the introduction of a maximum price of seven (7) euros for rapid testing and 40 euros for PCR, at least for the next 15 days, when the pandemic is expected to peak,” said the Movement for Change.

Request for private diagnostic centers

“In the face of this tragic situation, which will worsen in view of the opening of schools, the least that needs to be done is to ensure massive and repeated free tests for all, with the support of Primary Health Care, with the necessary staff and equipment. , with more mobile units of EODY and of course with the order of private diagnostic centers, in order to ensure the free administration of molecular tests to those who need it, based on scientific evidence and in the context of the necessary tracing “emphasizes the KKE.

But also the Medical Association of Athens today requested the prescription of molecular tests leaving tips against Adonis Georgiadis. In the context of its institutional role and “defending the self-evident right of all citizens of the country, without exception, to their free access to appropriate and quality health services” ISA suggests to the political leadership of the Ministry of Health “to immediately enable the prescription and administration to each insured of the molecular tests, if this is suggested by their treating physician, as is the case for every clinical-laboratory examination that is reimbursed by the insurance bodies today – by a special code but without claw back. To ensure the same right to uninsured citizens, through public health structures and to determine the price of each molecular test to such an extent that it confirms that in Greece PCR tests are among the cheapest in Europe “.

Employees up in the air – ERGANI does not recognize the positive rapid

In the meantime, thousands of workers who have been vaccinated, but tested positive after a rapid test are up in the air.

According to the latest instructions of health service EODY, those who test positive in rapid test do not need to remain in quarantine for five days, while those vaccinated do not require a molecular test so that they can justify their absence from work.

According to the latest instructions, a rapid test which will be positive and will be posted on the Ergani system by pharmacists or testing centers suffices to obtain the necessary quarantine clearance.

The problem, however, is that the ERGANI information system confirms that it does not recognize the rapid test and only accepts molecular (PCR) tests, a fact that leaves the employees who have become ill and are vaccinated exposed.

Unvaccinated workers will have to undergo a molecular test and if it is positive, they will submit it to receive the five days paid leave, something that the vaccinated workers can not do at this stage, according to the information.