PhilHealth-10 bares benefit package on Covid-19

STATE-RUN health insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) bared the guidelines on the enhancement of its benefit packages for member-patients suspected or confirmed to have been infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19)

Directly paid to the health facility, PhilHealth-10 even cites the cost of benefit packages intended for coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 cases in the region.

During the NorMin COVID-19 Response Task Force press conference, Merlyn Ybañez of PhilHealth-10 said persons who are placed in isolation units could avail the P22,449 package, which covers the food, hygiene kit, diagnostic test, referral, and transportation to a higher-level facility. 

For other COVID-19 related packages, patients confirmed with COVID-19 and developed into severe illnesses will be compensated as follows: mild pneumonia for P43,997; moderate pneumonia for P143,267; severe pneumonia for P333,519; and critical pneumonia for P786,384. 

For PhilHealth’s benefits package for COVID-19 testing, P3,409 is provided for all services for testing, which are procured and provided by the testing laboratory; P2,077 if test kits are donated to the testing laboratory; and P901 if test kits are donated to the testing laboratory. 

The cost of running the laboratory and RT-PCR machine for testing is included in the facility budget.

PhilHealth clarified that the package is for costs attributable to services related to testing such as clinical assessment, specimen collection, specimen transport, and materials such as personal protective equipment (PPEs) and test kits.

Ybañez stressed that the said benefit package costs are directly paid to the PhilHealth accredited facility. 

As of August 4, there are 606 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region, where have 11 expired, and 263 are recovering. (Recthie Paculba/PIA10)