In a recent Congressional hearing, EVP/COO Nerissa Santiago clarified that if the services given to patients in tents were part of in-patient care then these should be covered by the current inpatient COVID-19 packages of the program, as opposed to stays in non-accredited Community Isolation Unit tents which are not compensable under existing rules.
PhilHealth fully acknowledges the current situation where patients are temporarily placed in tents because hospitals can no longer admit them in regular hospital beds.
PhilHealth guarantees that COVID-19 patients are entitled to health insurance coverage for RT-PCR tests, isolation in accredited community isolation units, and hospitalization for mild to critical cases of COVID-19.
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.”
On the other hand, the reported charges of P1,000/hour will be investigated for possible violation of pertinent laws and rules.
(Sgd.)Atty. DANTE A. GIERRAN, CPA
President and CEO
