For COVID cases: Medical frontliners free of hospital bills

CEBU, Philippines —  The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has reiterated anew that medical frontliners and allied workers are entitled to full hospitalization coverage, should they contract COVID-19 during the whole duration of the pandemic.

PhilHealth made this announcement to remind all hospitals in the country that they should not be charging any co-payment against patients whose job is in the medical field.

The call is in support of the Philippine president's appeal to afford healthcare workers and frontliners with all possible support in recognition of the risks they endure on a day-to-day basis to help treat patients of the dreaded disease.

The call was also in line with its Circular No. ?2020-0011? issued on April 14, 2020 which guaranteed “full financial risk protection for Filipino health workers and patients against coronavirus disease.” ?

The said circular also defined health workers as “persons engaged in health and health-related work, regardless of employment status, which include doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, administrative and support personnel in health facilities, utility and security personnel working in health facilities, health volunteers deployed in health facilities and staff and personnel working in government health agencies.”

To date, PhilHealth-7 said that it has paid about P13 million on benefit claims pertaining to hospitalization due to COVID-19.

Aside from full coverage, these health workers are also entitled to PhilHealth benefits for SARS-CoV-2 testing package ranging from P901 to P3,409 as stipulated in its Circular No. ?2020-0017?.

Currently, there are four accredited SARS-CoV-2 testing centers in Central Visayas - the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Allegiant Regional Care (ARC) Hospitals, Incorporated in Lapu-Lapu City, the Cebu TB Reference Laboratory in Cebu City, and Prime Care Alpha COVID-19 Testing Laboratory at the Mactan Cebu International Airport.

PhilHealth has reminded that hospitals face sanctions if they are found to have refused admission or have charged any co-payment to any health worker exposed and treated for COVID-19. ?

PhilHealth has also asked for broader public support to invoke this privilege granted by law and to immediately report any information of abuse or negligence on the part of health care providers. GAN (FREEMAN)