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Region that you go, exam (and especially price) that you find. The side effect of Title V and health regionalization is a disorganized chaos This confuses the public and causes the prices of molecular swabs, antigenic swabs and serological tests to fluctuate dramatically, with marked differences also in expectations and the possibility of using private facilities.
Lombardy
In times of the second wave, the need for positivity tests increases. Not just for those with the urgency of check for contagion (because you have come into contact with positives or are at risk) but also for those who want to take precautions, perhaps to see older relatives. In Lombardy molecular buffers, which are the gold standard, or the main method, can be done in both the public and private sectors (as well as in Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Piedmont, Basilicata, Campania and Trentino). For those who test positive for serology, they are provided free, with ticket exemption. In other cases, with a medical prescription, the Region pays about 70 euros in hospitals for swabs and only 5 for serological tests. As for individuals, the cost of molecular swabs ranges between 80 euros and 120 euros.
I wait for you
The wait in the drive-through in Milan it is estimated at about three hours, in Rome it can be up to fourteen. Lazio has chosen not to allow swabs in private clinics. This has strained public structures, taken by storm. On the other hand, for a few days and before other Regions, it has allowed authorized laboratories to perform rapid antigenic nasal swabs. Slightly less reliable tests, but useful to avoid clogging the rows ai drive-through. You can go without a prescription and you only pay 22 euros, a price imposed by the Region. Some clinics had already started asking for quick swabs 50-60 euros when the controlled price, which angered many, so much that a first version spoke of 13.94 euros and then, after the protests, it reached 22. The margin is still high. In Campania Governor Vincenzo De Luca had privately banned tampons, only to backtrack when Covid spread a few days ago. On the other hand, the black market for tampons was rampant, with prices reaching 200 euros.
Serological
In serologicals, prices fluctuate even more. In Sardinia it goes from 30 to 90 euros, depending on the clinics. In Rome, The United States asks for 40 euros for the investigation of Igg antibodies (telling you that you came into contact with the virus) and 87 if you also want Igm research (antibodies that indicate whether the disease is current or recent). For the serological, according to an investigation by Other consumption, in Rome you can go from 25 to 92 euros.
Costs are controlled
Faced with these obvious and often unjustified differences, one might wonder whether it would not be appropriate to find a method of harmonization. The answer is yes for Pierangelo Clerici, president of the Italian Association of Clinical Microbiologists: “In a situation of war like this, It would be a wonderful signal to citizens if a uniform price were applied for all. An agreement would be needed between the government, the Ministry of Health and the State-Regions Conference. The cost of molecular buffers could be that established by Lombardy, between 60 and 70 euros, while for antigens it could be around 30 ”. Furthermore, even the Regions could act autonomously: «If I were governor – he continues – I would allow individuals to make swabs, this helps the system in general. But I would like to impose a controlled price.
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October 10, 2020 (change October 10, 2020 | 23:18)
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