NHA starts empanelling ICMR-registered labs for coronavirus testing

During the crisis of Covid-19 pandemic, these laboratories will help PMJAY beneficiaries to get the Covid-19 testing facility, according to a senior NHA official

The National Health Authority (NHA) has released guidelines for Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) -accredited private laboratories for empanelment with national health insurance scheme -- Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY).

During the crisis of Covid-19 pandemic, these laboratories would help PMJAY beneficiaries to get the Covid-19 testing facility, said a senior NHA official. The guidelines state: "The NHA shall be approving the empanelment of laboratories in those states which are not implementing AB-PMJAY at present viz Telangana, West Bengal, Delhi and Odisha."

Modules for empanelment of the labs have been developed and at present NHA has decided to empanel only ICMR registered labs, as only they are authorised to conduct the test for Covid-19 infection, it said.

Dr JL Meena, General Manager, Hospital Networking and Quality Assurance at AB-PMJAY confirmed the development. He said: "NHA has opened a process for empanelment of ICMR accredited laboratories to Covid-19 testing at affordable rates for beneficiaries of AB-PMJAY admitted due to Covid-19 or SARI like symptoms. First, Laboratory, which has been emplaned with the national health scheme is-- Apollo Health and Lifestyle Ltd Diagnostics Laboratory, Tirumalagiri - Hyderabad, Telangana."

These labs should have the facility of RT PCR test to detect Covid-19. Till now, 13 labs are already applied and are in process for empanelment, he said.

Amritsar: A medic collects samples from a man for COVID-19 swab tests at Civil Hospital, during the ongoing nationwide lockdown, in Amritsar, Thursday, June 11, 2020. (PTI Photo)(

"Any laboratory applying for empanelment must be ICMR accredited and will be currently empanelled only for Covid-19 RT PCR test and Covid-19 antibody test only,'' Dr Meena said. 

To speed up the process of empanelment, the approval may be given by CEO, NHA or officer authorised by CEO, after verification of ICMR registration of the lab.

In case CEO, SHA has approved the empanelment, the process of scrutiny at the district level may be done post facto as per the instructions of state health authority (SHA), they said.

After the empanelment request by a laboratory is filed, the application shall be scrutinised by NHA within four days.

If the application is rejected, the laboratory will be intimated of the reasons based on which it was not accepted and the lab can approach the Grievance Redressal Mechanism for remedy.

In case the laboratory chooses to withdraw from the health insurance scheme, it will only be permitted to re-enter/ get re-empanelled under AB-PMJAY after a period of six months.