KUALA LUMPUR: Ceiling prices for Covid-19 tests do not cover other fees related to testing.
The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh also said price controls instituted for Covid-19 testing applied only to private laboratories' charges.
He said it did not include fees to extract samples, cost of personal protective equipment (PPE), and consultation fees with medical personnel.
Dr Kuljit said this was confirmed through a letter from the Health Deputy Director-General dated June 1 to all the private laboratories.
The Health Ministry had set a ceiling price for all tests under the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 on May 11.
The ceiling price set for polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test is at RM150, RTK-antigen test RM60, and RTK antibody test RM50 in peninsular Malaysia.
The RT-PCR test in Sabah and Sarawak is capped at RM200, with RTK-antigen test has a price ceiling of RM80 and RTK-antibody test RM70.
Dr Kuljit said there was a difference in prices for Covid-19 tests across private hospitals in Malaysia, and the facilities were trying to keep prices as low as possible.
"Private hospitals will display or notify the final Covid-19 test charges which will include the laboratory charges and other costs for the public to choose and decide and it will vary from each hospital based on its service and geographical location."
"But it will be kept as low as possible to cover the total cost," he said in a statement here today.