Arunachal Pradesh may soon become the first state in India to standardize the cost of diagnostic tests done by laboratories. The Union government has now requested that other states review and replicate the model.

During the peak of the pandemic, several states and UTs, including Delhi and Maharashtra, imposed price caps on COVID diagnostic tests, such as RT-PCR, but Arunachal has developed a standard price range for nearly 160 types of tests and has sought approval from the Union health ministry before implementing it.

The Arunachal government has finalized rates as part of provisions under Indias Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, which was passed by Parliament in 2010. The act approves the implementation of rules to govern all public and private therapeutic and diagnostic centers, including single-doctor clinics, nursing homes, and large hospitals.

So far, 11 states and seven union territories have adopted the Clinical Establishment Act, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, Assam, Rajasthan, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim, as well as all UTs except Delhi. According to official sources, the proposal by the Arunachal Pradesh government was submitted at the 13th National Council for Clinical Establishment (NCCE) meeting held in March this year.

The Arunachal Pradesh government has suggested that diagnostic services cannot charge more than Rs 50–100 for a hemoglobin test, Rs 300–500 for a full blood count, and Rs 800–1,000 for a liver function test.

A senior official from the Union Health Ministry present at the NCCE meeting stated that while the states have been advised to investigate the proposal provided by Arunachal Pradesh, they are going to consider their unique dynamics. Additionally, the idea proposed by the Arunachal Pradesh government met with opposition from business executives who believe tariffs should be determined by "market dynamics." 

(Source: https://theprint.in/health/arunachal-may-soon-be-1st-to-standardise-diagnostic-test-rates-other-states-told-to-study-model/1581460/ )