6 ms·

COVID-19 Tests Don’t Cost Over $3,000

44 points by alecco 7y ago

sschueller 7y ago
So how much is the test? Test costs USD ~190.- in Switzerland and all insurances are required to cover it under basic care but only suspected cases get tested (You were in Italy, Wuhan or in contact with people who were)
- PragmaticPulp 7y ago
  From the article: The test is paid for by the government. It’s the ancillary hospital services that cause the charges. If you go to a hospital, you have to pay for the usage of the hospital. This is billed to your insurance.
  - tobltobs 7y ago
    Does it make a difference what exactly is causing the costs? If you are broke you can't afford to be tested and you will continue to spread the virus if you have it.
  - TulliusCicero 7y ago
    So, the test itself doesn't cost that much...but, getting tested does cost that much. When most people are talking about the test, I think they're talking about the whole process.
    - PragmaticPulp 7y ago
      > getting tested does cost that much. Getting tested at a hospital emergency room for 20+ different possible viruses could cost that much, but you shouldn't be presenting to the emergency room for basic testing. That should be handled through your local doctor. The hospital emergency room is for urgent emergencies. ER doctors are rushing to get things done. Unless you're having severe respiratory distress, you should not rush to the ER for routine Coronavirus testing.
- claudeganon 7y ago
  The answer is...who knows? All of the surrounding care, from visiting the hospital, the battery of tests to eliminate other illnesses, and the test itself are the product of some opaque, insanely complicated exchange between the individual’s insurance company and the hospital’s pricing.
aguyfromnb 7y ago
The interesting thing to me is the "who" and "why" of this disinformation spreading. Would this be considered pro-Healthcare-For-All?
jtdev 7y ago
Great job burying the true cost at the bottom of the article: “Jennifer Kates, the director of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, said in a phone interview, ‘there could be other costs incurred.’ Visits to the doctor’s office and the emergency room can cost patients money, she said, noting that some high-deductible insurance plans could effectively charge patients who go to the ER $1,000 or more.”
- craftinator 7y ago
  And still they don't specify that the $1000 would be for the test...
- 34679 7y ago
  That's just an average deductible, too. If the cost is $100,000,000, they could still say "effectively charge patients who go to the ER $1,000 or more.” and not be wrong. It also doesn't include the cost of coverage. I have a healthy friend under 40 with a healthy family, and he pays $1200 every month, with a $1,500 deductible. So, if you pay $18k per year, it might cost you $1,000 or $1,500, but that still doesn't tell us how much it costs for a person to go to the ER and get tested for Covid-19. For an accurate assessment, they need to report the cost for an uninsured person, or report the total that's being billed to the insurance company.
- alecco 7y ago
  Yes, a visit the ER will cost you. The point of the article is it has NOTHING to do with Covid-19.
claudeganon 7y ago
I find this kind of fact checking quite specious. The person wasn’t given a COVID-19 test (presumably because the testing has been a disaster), but visited the ER, was tested for 22 other respiratory pathogens, found negative, and discharged. Wouldn’t this be true for anyone who went to the ER under similar circumstances? They would have to clear the same tests, pay the same ER fee, etc before being given the COVID-19 test. These preliminary cost hurdles to testing aren’t going to be removed simply because the test itself is now required to be covered by health insurance and Medicare/Medicaid. And what about the uninsured?
- cevn 7y ago
  Yes, exactly. The logic is completely flawed. It doesn't matter what the test costs if it wasn't applied. If I thought I had Covid 19 and I went to the hospital I could be facing 3k because the nurses start running random tests..
- thom 7y ago
  Exactly, and I agree that this type of fact check seems to be on the rise, where you carefully rearrange and redefine all the words in the initial statement, and find some narrow way in which it's then not strictly true. Fun game, but not especially enlightening.
  - runawaybottle 7y ago
    It’s literally the opposite of good investigative journalism. We’ve come full circle from click bait to click bait fact checking.
yebyen 7y ago
The original story as I heard was from a person who said that they were mandated to get tested because of their risk of exposure. Now we learn from the mandatory hospital stay, they got a bill for $3000 and didn't even get the COVID-19 test?
- TulliusCicero 7y ago
  Yeah, the original story is only somewhat misleading here. They had to get tested because of possible COVID-19 exposure, and doing so did cost $3000. The real problem is that healthcare in general in the US has absolutely insane costs, not something specific to the coronavirus.
tpmx 7y ago
Nitpick: Wouldn't surprise me if the cost is $3k at this point. The price is another matter.
ianleeclark 7y ago
I think the most important part of the story, regardless of its truth or not, is the plausibility of the situation, and that is what allowed the story to be viral.
- PragmaticPulp 7y ago
  The real problem is that people are choosing to believe sensational headlines instead of doing their own research. I’m seeing a sharp increase in the number of young people who don’t understand how their own health insurance works. They just assume it’s awful because that’s what they read in the news. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to tell people that generic insulin is actually only $25/vial at Walmart instead of the hundreds to thousands that they read about in the news. Yes, it's not identical to the newer, longer-acting analogs that cost more, but it's an effective option for those who can't afford the more expensive versions. This kind of thing is actively driving people away from taking the 10 minutes to understand their health insurance and seeking proper care.
  - claudeganon 7y ago
    Perhaps instead of blaming the horror that is the American healthcare system on the people on the receiving end of it, you could “take 10 minutes” to google and find out that Walmart insulin isn’t appropriate for all diabetics.
  - ianleeclark 7y ago
    > The real problem is that people are choosing to believe sensational headlines instead of doing their own research. I think the real problem is that people believe they could receive a 3k bill for doing the right thing. > I’m seeing a sharp increase in the number of young people who don’t understand how their own health insurance works. They just assume it’s awful because that’s what they read in the news. As someone who grew up with parents who had health insurance, I still had to see them choose to not go to the doctor due to costs. I saw medical bills arrive. I've had to deal with calling to find out if the doctor I needed to go to was in network, and yet still fearing that information was incorrect due to the massive bill I could expect afterwards. I've seen a 5k deductible plan staring me in the face. Call it anecdotal all you want, but I'm not unique and this is the reason that a lot of young people know their health insurance is trash. > I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to tell people that generic insulin is actually only $25/vial at Walmart instead of the hundreds to thousands that they read about in the news. Assuming the other poster is correct that this isn't viable for everyone, it's a little funny given how you're harping on about those millenials/zoomers and all their lack of knowledge. > This kind of thing is actively driving people away from taking the 10 minutes to understand their health insurance and seeking proper care. Most people, if they have the average ~4k deductible, are not going to go to the doctor because they fear a 4k bill.
a012 7y ago
IIRC I was reading a comment on Reddit who said their family member's bill of the test was $3000.
empath75 7y ago
If we don’t guarantee free care for this, it’s going to spread unchecked because people aren’t going to go to the doctor. It doesn’t help that trump is going on tv telling people that it’s just a cold and you should go into work if you have it.
- jnmandal 7y ago
  Its really far too late for that. They are trying in NY (they made it free) but you can't undo decades of societal conditioning so fast. Not to mention we probably needed to get ahead of this three weeks ago since the incubation period is so long. Folks w/ symptoms have been for sure avoiding testing over the last couple weeks.
  - pbourke 7y ago
    > They are trying in NY (they made it free) but you can't undo decades of societal conditioning so fast. I consider myself fairly well informed on these topics and I don't believe it, either (though I'm not in NY). I believe that certain regulators and governments intend for it to be free, but I don't believe it will be that easy when the provider billing and insurance systems get involved.
    - jnmandal 7y ago
      We'll see, the governor has ordered insurers to waive all costs (https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/485622-new-york-insurers-ordered-to-to-waive-costs-associated-with-coronavirus https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/485622-new-york-insure...), and actually California just did the same. Maybe tax payers will end up paying in the end though, either through civil courts or some kind of backward-effective legislation.
- nraynaud 7y ago
  with a wide definition of "this", because it would be normal for people to try to be cautious if they have a flu and quarantine or go to the ER, but they would not have gone to the ER with very early symptoms absent the specific panic around this epidemic. So if it happens that they actually had the flu and they are recovering well, will they get hammered because they medicalized the situation more and earlier than what they would have done usually?
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
dalex00 7y ago
In Germany I think the test is free if you show enough symptoms and had contact to an ill person or you travelled to a sick area. If you do not match those criteria but still want to be tested them the test costs 500. My company covers those second scenario for free.
helen___keller 7y ago
Whenever you go to a hospital it's impossible to tell what the cost will be. Literally, my doctor told me before my operation "I have no idea, probably whatever your deductible is" when I asked the cost Coronavirus test or not is just a detail
- dwnvoted2hell 7y ago
  Yeah, is it baseless to believe that the hospitals are not charging 3k for a test? When they charge for stuff like this, they inherently try to cover their ass and overcharge to cover other related costs they can't put a price tag on.
- runawaybottle 7y ago
  Right, and evidently covid19 test was just one of 22 other tests, who knows what the price of each was. It’s possible 2-3 of those cost 400 each, a dozen that cost maybe 100 each. I can easily see someone in a tight spot saying ‘let’s skip the three 400 dollar tests’. This is a wild way to sincerely provide healthcare.
  - tobltobs 7y ago
    Read it again. They did not do a covid19 test at all.
- jcadam 7y ago
  > "I have no idea, probably whatever your deductible is" That would be your out-of-network deductible, since your anesthesiologist is guaranteed to be out-of-network.
- PragmaticPulp 7y ago
  > Whenever you go to a hospital it's impossible to tell what the cost will be. Hospital emergency rooms are for emergency services. Suspected Coronavirus patients should not be presenting to hospital ERs for testing and care unless they are experiencing respiratory distress or other urgent symptoms. Basic testing and diagnosis should be handled via local doctors. Please call first to discuss the Coronavirus protocol. Don't go to the Hospital unless you need urgent emergency care for something. You will be charged urgent, emergency care prices.
jnmandal 7y ago
Sure the test itself doesnt cost $3000, but you will be out around that much money if you go to the ER to get tested. The article about the guy in miami didnt even include a COVID-19 test and he was still billed $3270
freewizard 7y ago
- my test suites runs <1s ! - yeah, but spinning up the test env and loading data cost >3000s.
PragmaticPulp 7y ago
The amount of misinformation surrounding COVID-19 and healthcare is staggering. Some practical advice: 1. Call your family doctor or a local doctor first. The emergency room at the hospital is only necessary if you have immediately life threatening symptoms. If you go to the emergency room, you will receive and be charged for emergency care. This is expensive because it's for emergencies. Call your doctor first! 2. Local doctor's offices have protocols for COVID-19 testing already. This might involve some combination of staying in your car until a practitioner comes to escort you, keeping your hands folded across your chest so you don't touch anything, wearing a mask to minimize the spread from coughing, and going in a separate entrance, and staying in a reserved back room that will be carefully disinfected after you leave. Again, do not go to an emergency room and sit in the waiting room just to be tested. 3. The COVID-19 test itself is being paid for by government funds, as stated in the article. However, you will still be billed for medical services rendered such as the administration of the test. This is one reason why a local doctor is much cheaper than going to a busy emergency room. 4. Do not assume that you're positive for COVID-19 before working with a professional to understand the risk factors and diagnostic criteria. They will likely screen you over the phone to reduce the rate of false positives. 5. If you are concerned about the cost, please ask your doctor what your options are. This is not an uncommon situation and in many cases there are low-cost or free options available.
sagebird 7y ago
For covid19 testing of low-likelyhood samples can you batch? IE - take 64 samples, combine them, test it once. If positive, divide and conquer?
TeMPOraL 7y ago
Some thoughts: 1) It doesn't matter how much the test itself costs. It doesn't matter whether it even gets done. The only thing that matters is, how much you're likely to pay if you go to take that test. That's the only variable consumer is considering. 2) Cool that "as of now, the two authorized testing agencies aren’t billing patients for the tests" and that Medicare & Medicaid have a code for this test. That's as of now. The $3000 story broke over a week ago, and nothing here convinces me that this wasn't a representative number up until now.
bArray 7y ago
Wait... Is the US really charging for the tests? If they want to stop the spread of the virus, the test needs to be free. Actually, go one step further, they need to begin random screening. A lot of people are not presenting severe symptoms and therefore are not going to the hospital, but are still carriers.
andor 7y ago
Test kits made by TIB Molbiol cost EUR 2.50 per patient. One kit can be used for 96 patients (or up to twice that number if diluted), so cost of work is spread over quite a few people. Their estimate for a reasonable price is EUR 10.00 including work. Source (German): https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/tib-molbiol-berliner-firma-produziert-corona-tests-fuer-die-ganze-welt/25602142.html https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/tib-molbiol-berliner-firm...

44 points by alecco 7y ago

So how much is the test? Test costs USD ~190.- in Switzerland and all insurances are required to cover it under basic care but only suspected cases get tested (You were in Italy, Wuhan or in contact with people who were)

PragmaticPulp 7y ago
From the article: The test is paid for by the government. It’s the ancillary hospital services that cause the charges. If you go to a hospital, you have to pay for the usage of the hospital. This is billed to your insurance.
- tobltobs 7y ago
  Does it make a difference what exactly is causing the costs? If you are broke you can't afford to be tested and you will continue to spread the virus if you have it.
- TulliusCicero 7y ago
  So, the test itself doesn't cost that much...but, getting tested does cost that much. When most people are talking about the test, I think they're talking about the whole process.
  - PragmaticPulp 7y ago
    > getting tested does cost that much. Getting tested at a hospital emergency room for 20+ different possible viruses could cost that much, but you shouldn't be presenting to the emergency room for basic testing. That should be handled through your local doctor. The hospital emergency room is for urgent emergencies. ER doctors are rushing to get things done. Unless you're having severe respiratory distress, you should not rush to the ER for routine Coronavirus testing.
claudeganon 7y ago
The answer is...who knows? All of the surrounding care, from visiting the hospital, the battery of tests to eliminate other illnesses, and the test itself are the product of some opaque, insanely complicated exchange between the individual’s insurance company and the hospital’s pricing.

aguyfromnb 7y ago

The interesting thing to me is the "who" and "why" of this disinformation spreading. Would this be considered pro-Healthcare-For-All?

jtdev 7y ago

Great job burying the true cost at the bottom of the article: “Jennifer Kates, the director of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, said in a phone interview, ‘there could be other costs incurred.’ Visits to the doctor’s office and the emergency room can cost patients money, she said, noting that some high-deductible insurance plans could effectively charge patients who go to the ER $1,000 or more.”

craftinator 7y ago
And still they don't specify that the $1000 would be for the test...
34679 7y ago
That's just an average deductible, too. If the cost is $100,000,000, they could still say "effectively charge patients who go to the ER $1,000 or more.” and not be wrong. It also doesn't include the cost of coverage. I have a healthy friend under 40 with a healthy family, and he pays $1200 every month, with a $1,500 deductible. So, if you pay $18k per year, it might cost you $1,000 or $1,500, but that still doesn't tell us how much it costs for a person to go to the ER and get tested for Covid-19. For an accurate assessment, they need to report the cost for an uninsured person, or report the total that's being billed to the insurance company.
alecco 7y ago
Yes, a visit the ER will cost you. The point of the article is it has NOTHING to do with Covid-19.

claudeganon 7y ago

I find this kind of fact checking quite specious. The person wasn’t given a COVID-19 test (presumably because the testing has been a disaster), but visited the ER, was tested for 22 other respiratory pathogens, found negative, and discharged. Wouldn’t this be true for anyone who went to the ER under similar circumstances? They would have to clear the same tests, pay the same ER fee, etc before being given the COVID-19 test. These preliminary cost hurdles to testing aren’t going to be removed simply because the test itself is now required to be covered by health insurance and Medicare/Medicaid. And what about the uninsured?

cevn 7y ago
Yes, exactly. The logic is completely flawed. It doesn't matter what the test costs if it wasn't applied. If I thought I had Covid 19 and I went to the hospital I could be facing 3k because the nurses start running random tests..
thom 7y ago
Exactly, and I agree that this type of fact check seems to be on the rise, where you carefully rearrange and redefine all the words in the initial statement, and find some narrow way in which it's then not strictly true. Fun game, but not especially enlightening.
- runawaybottle 7y ago
  It’s literally the opposite of good investigative journalism. We’ve come full circle from click bait to click bait fact checking.

yebyen 7y ago

The original story as I heard was from a person who said that they were mandated to get tested because of their risk of exposure. Now we learn from the mandatory hospital stay, they got a bill for $3000 and didn't even get the COVID-19 test?

TulliusCicero 7y ago
Yeah, the original story is only somewhat misleading here. They had to get tested because of possible COVID-19 exposure, and doing so did cost $3000. The real problem is that healthcare in general in the US has absolutely insane costs, not something specific to the coronavirus.

tpmx 7y ago

Nitpick: Wouldn't surprise me if the cost is $3k at this point. The price is another matter.

ianleeclark 7y ago

I think the most important part of the story, regardless of its truth or not, is the plausibility of the situation, and that is what allowed the story to be viral.

PragmaticPulp 7y ago
The real problem is that people are choosing to believe sensational headlines instead of doing their own research. I’m seeing a sharp increase in the number of young people who don’t understand how their own health insurance works. They just assume it’s awful because that’s what they read in the news. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to tell people that generic insulin is actually only $25/vial at Walmart instead of the hundreds to thousands that they read about in the news. Yes, it's not identical to the newer, longer-acting analogs that cost more, but it's an effective option for those who can't afford the more expensive versions. This kind of thing is actively driving people away from taking the 10 minutes to understand their health insurance and seeking proper care.
- claudeganon 7y ago
  Perhaps instead of blaming the horror that is the American healthcare system on the people on the receiving end of it, you could “take 10 minutes” to google and find out that Walmart insulin isn’t appropriate for all diabetics.
- ianleeclark 7y ago
  > The real problem is that people are choosing to believe sensational headlines instead of doing their own research. I think the real problem is that people believe they could receive a 3k bill for doing the right thing. > I’m seeing a sharp increase in the number of young people who don’t understand how their own health insurance works. They just assume it’s awful because that’s what they read in the news. As someone who grew up with parents who had health insurance, I still had to see them choose to not go to the doctor due to costs. I saw medical bills arrive. I've had to deal with calling to find out if the doctor I needed to go to was in network, and yet still fearing that information was incorrect due to the massive bill I could expect afterwards. I've seen a 5k deductible plan staring me in the face. Call it anecdotal all you want, but I'm not unique and this is the reason that a lot of young people know their health insurance is trash. > I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to tell people that generic insulin is actually only $25/vial at Walmart instead of the hundreds to thousands that they read about in the news. Assuming the other poster is correct that this isn't viable for everyone, it's a little funny given how you're harping on about those millenials/zoomers and all their lack of knowledge. > This kind of thing is actively driving people away from taking the 10 minutes to understand their health insurance and seeking proper care. Most people, if they have the average ~4k deductible, are not going to go to the doctor because they fear a 4k bill.

a012 7y ago

IIRC I was reading a comment on Reddit who said their family member's bill of the test was $3000.

empath75 7y ago

If we don’t guarantee free care for this, it’s going to spread unchecked because people aren’t going to go to the doctor. It doesn’t help that trump is going on tv telling people that it’s just a cold and you should go into work if you have it.

jnmandal 7y ago
Its really far too late for that. They are trying in NY (they made it free) but you can't undo decades of societal conditioning so fast. Not to mention we probably needed to get ahead of this three weeks ago since the incubation period is so long. Folks w/ symptoms have been for sure avoiding testing over the last couple weeks.
- pbourke 7y ago
  > They are trying in NY (they made it free) but you can't undo decades of societal conditioning so fast. I consider myself fairly well informed on these topics and I don't believe it, either (though I'm not in NY). I believe that certain regulators and governments intend for it to be free, but I don't believe it will be that easy when the provider billing and insurance systems get involved.
  - jnmandal 7y ago
    We'll see, the governor has ordered insurers to waive all costs (https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/485622-new-york-insurers-ordered-to-to-waive-costs-associated-with-coronavirus https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/485622-new-york-insure...), and actually California just did the same. Maybe tax payers will end up paying in the end though, either through civil courts or some kind of backward-effective legislation.
nraynaud 7y ago
with a wide definition of "this", because it would be normal for people to try to be cautious if they have a flu and quarantine or go to the ER, but they would not have gone to the ER with very early symptoms absent the specific panic around this epidemic. So if it happens that they actually had the flu and they are recovering well, will they get hammered because they medicalized the situation more and earlier than what they would have done usually?

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

dalex00 7y ago

In Germany I think the test is free if you show enough symptoms and had contact to an ill person or you travelled to a sick area. If you do not match those criteria but still want to be tested them the test costs 500. My company covers those second scenario for free.

helen___keller 7y ago

Whenever you go to a hospital it's impossible to tell what the cost will be. Literally, my doctor told me before my operation "I have no idea, probably whatever your deductible is" when I asked the cost Coronavirus test or not is just a detail

dwnvoted2hell 7y ago
Yeah, is it baseless to believe that the hospitals are not charging 3k for a test? When they charge for stuff like this, they inherently try to cover their ass and overcharge to cover other related costs they can't put a price tag on.
runawaybottle 7y ago
Right, and evidently covid19 test was just one of 22 other tests, who knows what the price of each was. It’s possible 2-3 of those cost 400 each, a dozen that cost maybe 100 each. I can easily see someone in a tight spot saying ‘let’s skip the three 400 dollar tests’. This is a wild way to sincerely provide healthcare.
- tobltobs 7y ago
  Read it again. They did not do a covid19 test at all.
jcadam 7y ago
> "I have no idea, probably whatever your deductible is" That would be your out-of-network deductible, since your anesthesiologist is guaranteed to be out-of-network.
PragmaticPulp 7y ago
> Whenever you go to a hospital it's impossible to tell what the cost will be. Hospital emergency rooms are for emergency services. Suspected Coronavirus patients should not be presenting to hospital ERs for testing and care unless they are experiencing respiratory distress or other urgent symptoms. Basic testing and diagnosis should be handled via local doctors. Please call first to discuss the Coronavirus protocol. Don't go to the Hospital unless you need urgent emergency care for something. You will be charged urgent, emergency care prices.

jnmandal 7y ago

Sure the test itself doesnt cost $3000, but you will be out around that much money if you go to the ER to get tested. The article about the guy in miami didnt even include a COVID-19 test and he was still billed $3270

freewizard 7y ago

- my test suites runs <1s ! - yeah, but spinning up the test env and loading data cost >3000s.

PragmaticPulp 7y ago

The amount of misinformation surrounding COVID-19 and healthcare is staggering. Some practical advice: 1. Call your family doctor or a local doctor first. The emergency room at the hospital is only necessary if you have immediately life threatening symptoms. If you go to the emergency room, you will receive and be charged for emergency care. This is expensive because it's for emergencies. Call your doctor first! 2. Local doctor's offices have protocols for COVID-19 testing already. This might involve some combination of staying in your car until a practitioner comes to escort you, keeping your hands folded across your chest so you don't touch anything, wearing a mask to minimize the spread from coughing, and going in a separate entrance, and staying in a reserved back room that will be carefully disinfected after you leave. Again, do not go to an emergency room and sit in the waiting room just to be tested. 3. The COVID-19 test itself is being paid for by government funds, as stated in the article. However, you will still be billed for medical services rendered such as the administration of the test. This is one reason why a local doctor is much cheaper than going to a busy emergency room. 4. Do not assume that you're positive for COVID-19 before working with a professional to understand the risk factors and diagnostic criteria. They will likely screen you over the phone to reduce the rate of false positives. 5. If you are concerned about the cost, please ask your doctor what your options are. This is not an uncommon situation and in many cases there are low-cost or free options available.

sagebird 7y ago

For covid19 testing of low-likelyhood samples can you batch? IE - take 64 samples, combine them, test it once. If positive, divide and conquer?

TeMPOraL 7y ago

Some thoughts: 1) It doesn't matter how much the test itself costs. It doesn't matter whether it even gets done. The only thing that matters is, how much you're likely to pay if you go to take that test. That's the only variable consumer is considering. 2) Cool that "as of now, the two authorized testing agencies aren’t billing patients for the tests" and that Medicare & Medicaid have a code for this test. That's as of now. The $3000 story broke over a week ago, and nothing here convinces me that this wasn't a representative number up until now.

bArray 7y ago

Wait... Is the US really charging for the tests? If they want to stop the spread of the virus, the test needs to be free. Actually, go one step further, they need to begin random screening. A lot of people are not presenting severe symptoms and therefore are not going to the hospital, but are still carriers.

andor 7y ago

Test kits made by TIB Molbiol cost EUR 2.50 per patient. One kit can be used for 96 patients (or up to twice that number if diluted), so cost of work is spread over quite a few people. Their estimate for a reasonable price is EUR 10.00 including work. Source (German): https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/tib-molbiol-berliner-firma-produziert-corona-tests-fuer-die-ganze-welt/25602142.html https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/tib-molbiol-berliner-firm...