Medical aids challenge Covid-19 test prices

JOHANNESBURG - The Health Funders Association has submitted a complaint to the Competition Commission regarding the high prices charged for Covid-19 PCR tests during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

The complaint involves the three largest private pathology laboratory groups in South Africa namely Pathcare, Ampath and Lancet.

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The association is representing 35 medical schemes and an effective 5.6 million medical scheme members.

It says that the aim is to understand the profits made by the laboratories and for that money to be returned to medical schemes to defray future expenses.

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The Competition Commission has previously investigated allegations of excessive and unjustifiable pricing.

It confirmed that the input costs incurred by the pathology groups significantly declined between March 2020 and September 2021.

It also says they have earned substantial profits from Covid-19 PCR testing since March 2020.