Consumer Affairs Authority uncovers racket overcharging patients for lab tests; nearly Rs. 10 mn fined
Posted on May 2nd, 2023
Courtesy Adaderana
Legal action has been taken against 12 private hospitals and laboratories for overcharging patients for both, dengue tests and Full Blood Count (FBC) tests.
Accordingly, the 12 institutes were fined a total of Rs. 9.4 million for charging patients prices above those gazette for the relevant tests, a senior investigative official of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), A. U. Ranjan said.
He further revealed that the respective fines were imposed as per court orders issued by the Nugegoda, Mt. Lavinia, Maligakanda and Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Courts.
The relevant institutions were taken to court by the CAA based on information gathered over the last four months by the CAA Special Raids Unit of the Colombo District CAA, Ranjan said, adding that measures are currently underway to impose a standardised price for other commonly used laboratory tests as well, although no such raids are being conducted in this regard.