The reimbursement of COVID-19 PCR testing to be reduced in Germany

The reimbursement for PCR tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 will be reduced from €59.00 to €39.40 per test beginning from July 1, 2020, and the billing of the examination will be limited to five times in the case of treatment. This decision was made by the extended evaluation committee on June 10, 2020.

The laboratory test for SARS-CoV-2 can be performed and calculated by specialists for laboratory medicine or microbiology, virology, and infectious disease epidemiology.

For this purpose, a new fee order item (GOP) was added to the EBM on February 1, 2020: 32816 “Detection of the beta-coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid using RT-PCR including a confirmation test for reactivity in the search test (report of findings within 24 hours after submission of material)” (Nukleinsäurenachweis des beta-Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 mittels RT-PCR einschließlich eines Bestätigungstestes bei Reaktivität im Suchtest (Befundmitteilung innerhalb von 24 Stunden nach Materialeinsendung)). The GOP 32816 was previously valued at €59.00 per PCR test and will now be reduced to €39.40 starting from July 1, 2020. Costs for the material shipping and transporting can be calculated in addition to other special laboratory services.

The cost of the PCR test when billing according to the fee schedule for doctors (GOÄ) stays unchanged and amounts ca. €120.

The full details in German can be found here.

The full list of COVID-19 tests presented on the German market as of June 12, 2020, can be found here.

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