MUMBAI, Oct. 31 -- Cancer patients undergoing PET-CT scans at government hospitals and facilities run under the public-private partnership (PPP) model in Maharashtra will now pay a fixed rate of Rs.10,250. The state government has also standardised charges for contrast agents used in CT and MRI scans to prevent hospitals from charging different amounts for the same investigation. The order, issued by the state medical education department, fixes the PET-CT scan rate at Rs.10,250, inclusive of the radiotracer FDG (Fluorodeoxyglucose) and contrast, wherever required. The rate has been arrived at by offering a 50% concession on the Rs.20,500 package prescribed under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) and Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY). The move is expected to bring considerable relief to cancer patients, for whom a PET-CT scan is an expensive but essential investigation. The scan helps doctors diagnose cancer, determine how far it has spread, establish its stage and assess how well a patient is responding to treatment. Importantly, the revised rate will also benefit patients who are not eligible for MJPJAY or PMJAY but undergo the scan at government-run hospitals or hospitals operating under the PPP model. They, too, will pay Rs.10,250. The order, however, does not apply to private hospitals and diagnostic laboratories. This is the second major decision taken by the state government concerning access to PET-CT scans, after making the investigation available under MJPJAY and PMJAY on October 17. The government has capped contrast agent charges for CT and MRI scans following complaints over inconsistent hospital pricing, as flagged by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER). Capped rates for CT contrast agents are Rs.420 for 50 ml and Rs.830 for 100 ml, while gadolinium-based MRI contrast is capped at Rs.950 for 10 ml. The government resolution classifies patients into three categories: free treatment recipients, paying patients, and sponsored or referred patients. Individuals eligible under the July 4, 2017 order, alongside MJPJAY and PMJAY beneficiaries, will receive free investigations. Non-eligible patients must pay applicable fees at billing desks, whereas sponsored or referred patients will be charged full rates per concession agreements. To enforce compliance, hospitals must maintain separate patient records, launch a dedicated digital dashboard, preserve hard-copy and electronic audit records, and issue four bill copies. Deans must prominently display rates in English and Marathi. Treating medical officers must certify contrast quantities used, and partial vial usage cannot be charged proportionately. Safeguards prevent direct payments to private operators running PPP diagnostic services. Patients must pay exclusively at hospital billing desks, with funds deposited into institution accounts....