New Price For PCR Test: Java Bali Maximum IDR 275 Thousand, Outside Java-Bali IDR 300 Thousand

ILLUSTRATION/BETWEEN

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health has officially set the highest tariff change for the cheaper price for the COVID-19 real-time PCR (RT-PCR) test. This determination was made on the orders of President Joko Widodo.

The new price for the PCR test was conveyed by the Director-General of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, Abdul Kadir, through a virtual press statement.

"From the results of the evaluation, we have agreed that the highest tariff limit for real-time PCR examinations has been lowered to IDR 275,000 for Java and Bali, and IDR 300 thousand for outside Java and Bali", said Kadir on Wednesday, October 27.

Kadir said that the evaluation carried out through the calculation of the cost of taking and checking real-time PCR consisted of components, namely services or human resources, reagent and consumable components (DHP), administrative costs, overheating, and other costs that were adjusted to current conditions.

The results of the real-time PCR examination using a maximum amount of IDR 275 thousand and IDR 300 thousand are issued with a maximum duration of 1 x 24 hours from swab collection in real-time PCR examinations.

"We ask that all health service facilities such as hospitals, laboratories, and other service facilities that have been determined by the minister can comply with the highest real-time PCR tariffs", said Kadir.

Kadir asked the provincial health office and the district/city health office to provide guidance and supervision of the implementation of the highest tariff limit for RT-PCR examinations according to their respective authorities.

"The evaluation of the highest tariff limit for RT PCR examinations will be reviewed periodically as needed", he said.

Previously, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, admitted that the government had received a lot of criticism over the mandatory requirements for PCR tests for airplane passengers and antigen swabs were no longer valid.

Therefore, President Joko Widodo ordered his staff to lower the price of the PCR test to IDR 300 thousand. Previously, the highest tariff for PCR costs in Java-Bali was IDR 495 thousand and IDR 550 thousand outside Java-Bali.

"The president's directive is that the PCR price can be lowered to IDR 300,000 and is valid for 3 x 24 hours for plane trips", Luhut said on Monday, October 25.