CGHS Fever and Infection Test Rates: Dengue, Typhoid, Malaria and TB

A fever that will not settle usually ends in a panel of tests, and in a dengue or scrub typhus season those tests are ordered in bulk. Each one has a notified CGHS rate.

The tables below cover the seasonal fever panel, the tuberculosis workup, hepatitis and HIV screening, and culture and sensitivity.

CGHS Rates for Dengue, Malaria and Other Fever Tests (effective 13 October 2025)

Super-speciality hospitals are billed at the NABH rate for these codes. The OM sets the non-NABH rate 15% below the NABH rate for the same code.

• Dengue NS1 antigen, Non-NABH — Rs 340
• Dengue NS1 antigen, NABH — Rs 400
• Dengue IgM and IgG, Non-NABH — Rs 680
• Dengue IgM and IgG, NABH — Rs 800
• Widal test (typhoid), Non-NABH — Rs 60
• Widal test (typhoid), NABH — Rs 70
• Typhidot IgM, Non-NABH — Rs 340
• Typhidot IgM, NABH — Rs 400
• Rapid malaria card test / QBC malaria test, Non-NABH — Rs 85
• Rapid malaria card test / QBC malaria test, NABH — Rs 100
• Smear for malaria / filaria parasite, Non-NABH — Rs 85
• Smear for malaria / filaria parasite, NABH — Rs 100
• Chikungunya IgM, Non-NABH — Rs 850
• Chikungunya IgM, NABH — Rs 1,000
• Scrub typhus IgM, Non-NABH — Rs 1,360
• Scrub typhus IgM, NABH — Rs 1,600
• Leptospira IgM, Non-NABH — Rs 850
• Leptospira IgM, NABH — Rs 1,000
• Weil-Felix agglutination test, Non-NABH — Rs 425
• Weil-Felix agglutination test, NABH — Rs 500
• Procalcitonin, Non-NABH — Rs 1,760
• Procalcitonin, NABH — Rs 2,070

Tuberculosis Tests

• Mantoux test, Non-NABH — Rs 170
• Mantoux test, NABH — Rs 200
• GeneXpert test for tuberculosis, Non-NABH — Rs 880
• GeneXpert test for tuberculosis, NABH — Rs 1,035
• PCR for tuberculosis, Non-NABH — Rs 1,020
• PCR for tuberculosis, NABH — Rs 1,200
• QuantiFERON TB Gold, Non-NABH — Rs 2,125
• QuantiFERON TB Gold, NABH — Rs 2,500
• Interferon gamma release assay (IGRA), Non-NABH — Rs 2,550
• Interferon gamma release assay (IGRA), NABH — Rs 3,000
• Adenosine deaminase (ADA), Non-NABH — Rs 553
• Adenosine deaminase (ADA), NABH — Rs 650
• Mycobacterial culture and sensitivity, Non-NABH — Rs 468
• Mycobacterial culture and sensitivity, NABH — Rs 550

Hepatitis, HIV and Other Viral Tests

• Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), Non-NABH — Rs 255
• Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), NABH — Rs 300
• Hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs), Non-NABH — Rs 553
• Hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs), NABH — Rs 650
• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody, Non-NABH — Rs 425
• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody, NABH — Rs 500
• Anti-HAV IgM (hepatitis A), Non-NABH — Rs 638
• Anti-HAV IgM (hepatitis A), NABH — Rs 750
• Anti-HEV IgM (hepatitis E), Non-NABH — Rs 850
• Anti-HEV IgM (hepatitis E), NABH — Rs 1,000
• HIV I and II, Non-NABH — Rs 327
• HIV I and II, NABH — Rs 385
• VDRL (syphilis), Non-NABH — Rs 85
• VDRL (syphilis), NABH — Rs 100
• Covid antibody test, Non-NABH — Rs 595
• Covid antibody test, NABH — Rs 700
• H1N1 by RT-PCR, Non-NABH — Rs 921
• H1N1 by RT-PCR, NABH — Rs 1,084

Cultures and Sensitivity

• Bacterial culture and sensitivity — aerobic, Non-NABH — Rs 391
• Bacterial culture and sensitivity — aerobic, NABH — Rs 460
• Bacterial culture and sensitivity — anaerobic, Non-NABH — Rs 595
• Bacterial culture and sensitivity — anaerobic, NABH — Rs 700
• Fungal culture, Non-NABH — Rs 421
• Fungal culture, NABH — Rs 495
• KOH mount, Non-NABH — Rs 128
• KOH mount, NABH — Rs 150
• CSF or other body fluid — cell count, protein, sugar, Gram stain, India ink, AFB smear, Non-NABH — Rs 298
• CSF or other body fluid — cell count, protein, sugar, Gram stain, India ink, AFB smear, NABH — Rs 350

Rates shown are as per the CGHS approved package rates (Office Memorandum F.No.5-16/CGHS(HQ)/HEC/2024(PartI) dated 03.10.2025, effective 2025-10-13) (2025 (effective 13.10.2025)) and are subject to periodic revision. Always verify the latest approved rates on the official source.

Dengue Testing: Which Test, and When

The NS1 antigen and the IgM/IgG antibody tests answer different questions and are priced differently. NS1 is Rs 340 (non-NABH) and detects the virus early in the illness; the IgM and IgG antibody test is Rs 680 (non-NABH) and turns positive later. A doctor may order one, or both, depending on how many days of fever there have been.

Tuberculosis: Rapid Molecular Tests Are Listed

The CGHS list carries the modern TB tests, not just the Mantoux. GeneXpert is Rs 880 (non-NABH), PCR for tuberculosis is Rs 1,020, and an interferon gamma release assay is Rs 2,550. Mycobacterial culture and sensitivity is separately listed at Rs 468.

Public tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment is also available free of charge under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme at government facilities, independent of CGHS.

How CGHS Package Rates Work

A CGHS package rate is an all-inclusive amount covering admission, surgeon and anaesthetist charges, operation theatre, nursing, routine investigations, medicines and accommodation for the standard length of stay. For an investigation, the rate is the whole charge for that test at an empanelled facility.

The 2025 memorandum lists three columns for every code: a non-NABH rate, a NABH rate that is about 15% higher, and for some categories a further super-speciality rate. Which column applies depends on the accreditation status of the hospital or laboratory you are treated at, not on your ward entitlement.

High-value implants, stents, lenses and devices are not part of the package. Where a code says the rate excludes an implant or a drug, that item is reimbursed separately against its own notified ceiling.

Referral and Prior Permission

For planned (non-emergency) procedures, a CGHS beneficiary needs a referral from the CGHS wellness centre and prior permission from the competent authority. Emergency treatment at an empanelled hospital is reimbursed up to CGHS rates without prior permission.

For investigations, the test has to be prescribed by a CGHS medical officer or by a specialist at a government or empanelled hospital for the empanelled laboratory to bill it as a cashless CGHS test.

• Carry a valid CGHS card and follow your ward entitlement (based on pay or pension)
• Use an empanelled hospital or laboratory for cashless treatment up to CGHS rates
• Obtain prior permission and a referral for planned surgery
• Ask for the OM code the hospital is billing against, and check it against the rate list

These Rates Are Revised

CGHS revises its package rates periodically, and the memorandum in force on the date of your treatment is the one that applies. The figures on this page are from the memorandum effective 13 October 2025. Before you plan a procedure, confirm the current figure for your code on the official memorandum linked above.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CGHS rate for a dengue test?

Under the rates effective 13 October 2025, dengue NS1 antigen is Rs 340 (non-NABH) and Rs 400 (NABH). The dengue IgM and IgG antibody test is Rs 680 and Rs 800 respectively.

What does CGHS pay for a typhoid test?

The Widal test is Rs 60 (non-NABH) and Rs 70 (NABH). Typhidot IgM, which is more specific, is Rs 340 and Rs 400 respectively.

Is the GeneXpert TB test covered under CGHS?

Yes. GeneXpert for tuberculosis is listed at Rs 880 (non-NABH) and Rs 1,035 (NABH). PCR for tuberculosis and QuantiFERON TB Gold are separately listed codes with their own rates.

Are culture and sensitivity tests covered?

Yes. Aerobic bacterial culture and sensitivity is Rs 391 (non-NABH), anaerobic culture is Rs 595, and fungal culture is Rs 421. Each specimen cultured is billed against its own code.

Related

• CGHS blood test rate list
• CGHS lab test and investigation rates
• CGHS rate list for common procedures

Medical Disclaimer

The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.