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Official Publication of the Philippine Information Agency Bicol Regional Office, in cooperation with the RIAC-REDIRAS - RDC Bicol



Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Members, dependents can avail of Philhealth measles package coverage

BY: MARLON A. LOTERTE

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 15 (PIA) – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or Philhealth has announced that members and dependents can avail of claims on measles cases on its admission package in the wake of the increasing number of cases in Bicol and outbreak in some parts of the country.

Philhealth public information officer Annel San Pablo said in an interview at “Ugnayan sa Bicol” radio program of Philippine Information Agency (PIA) today that members and their dependents who contracted measles and admitted to accredited primary care providers or hospitals could avail the Philhealth measles admission package coverage.

It can be recalled that the Department of Health (DOH) in Bicol has reported a surge in measles cases, following the treatment of 14 patients who showed symptoms of the disease in the first week of January.

DOH Bicol has reported 12 suspected cases of measles were recorded in Albay province while two cases were recorded in Sorsogon province and laboratory tests have yet to determine if the patients are afflicted the highly communicable disease that strikes mostly infants and children.

 “One can avail for simple measles included in case rate for primary care amounting to P2,800; while simple measles or those without complications admitted to hospital can avail of up to P7,000 that includes hospital bill, professional fee of the doctor, medicines, laboratory and room rate,” San Pablo elaborated.

San Pablo added that poor families identified by the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction of the Department of Social and Welfare and Development (DSWD) and local government units-sponsored members are encouraged to bring their children to public hospitals for measles treatment to ensure of "no balance billing" payment once admitted in the government hospitals unlike in private hospitals.

She furthered that measles package coverage with complications such with pneumonia, dehydration,  encephalitis or inflammations of the brain, among others is up to P32,000.

She also explained that measles hospital admission coverage or those reimbursable for simple cases was immediately revived due to the reported measles outbreak following temporarily removal since January 1 this year.

She said the Philhealth hospital admission coverage was deleted for simple measles cases since it was not included in the "case rate" packages as it does not require hospitalization.

Philhealth will also implement ”retroactive" measles admission coverage for simple cases, wherein patients admitted in the hospitals from January 1 onwards could file their claims.

San Pablo said Philhealth central office is now preparing the circular to revive the measles admission coverage for simple cases.  (MAL-PIA5/Albay)

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