PhilHealth was reviewing its existing coverage policies for COVID-19 and other cases.
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation on Friday said that PhilHealth was reviewing its existing coverage policies for COVID-19 and other cases.
In a report on Inquirer, PhilHealth assured the public that coverage policies in line with the coronavirus pandemic were being reviewed, after complaints that patients’ stay in makeshift tents and emergency rooms were not being covered.
In a statement on Friday, PhilHealth said that patients should be afforded with all the financial assistance as guaranteed by the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.
According to PhilHealth, enhanced guidelines will be issued the soonest in order to ensure that adequate financial protection was duly provided to the patients without compromising the quality of care.
“Be it COVID-19 or not, patients should be afforded with all the financial help as guaranteed by the Universal Health Care Law. Pursuant to this, PhilHealth has been reviewing existing policies to better respond to the extraordinary demands brought about by this pandemic, with the best interest of the patients in mind. Enhanced guidelines will be issued the soonest to ensure that adequate financial protection is duly provided to the patients without compromising quality of care,” PhilHealth said.
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Last Tuesday, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Ferdinand Gaite revealed that some hospitals were charging patients at emergency rooms or temporary tents — which were set-up because of the high influx of patients amidst a coronavirus surge — at PHP 1,000 per hour.
Under the existing rules, emergency room (ER) services were not shouldered by PhilHealth.
Rep. Gaite and Sen. Joel Villanueva said that it wasn’t the fault of the patients that they’re staying inside emergency rooms and tents because hospitals were already at full capacity.
In a tweet on Thursday, Sen. Villanueva said that expenses in emergency room and makeshift tents should be covered by PhilHealth because overcrowding in the emergency rooms were not a sufficient reason to exclude patients from PhilHealth assistance.
PhilHealth then reiterated that patients receiving in-patient care even in emergency rooms or tents outside hospitals should already be included in PhilHealth’s coverage.
Likewise, PhilHealth assured that it would investigate the reports that hospitals were charging PHP 1,000 per hour for emergency room services.
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