PhilHealth to public: COVID-19 benefits available

MANILA, Philippines — With the slight increase in COVID-19 cases, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has reminded the public that if needed, benefit packages for the affliction remain available.

“PhilHealth informs all members and health care providers that the COVID-19 benefits packages, which covers in-patient admission, are still in effect and can be availed of in accredited health facilities,” PhilHealth said in an advisory.

Under its existing inpatient care packages, P43,997 is set for mild pneumonia; P143,267 for moderate pneumonia; P333,519 for severe pneumonia and P786,384 for critical pneumonia.

“These are for patients who are confirmed cases of COVID-19 that require hospital admission,” PhilHealth said.

For COVID-19 testing, PhilHealth coverage includes RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) from P800 to P2,800; cartridge based from P500 to 2,450 and Rapid Antigen Test for P500.

The COVID-19 benefits are still set for adjustment before the year ends, according to PhilHealth vice president for corporate affairs Rey Baleña.

The Department of Health last week reported a slight uptick in COVID-19 cases in the country.

This developed after the average daily COVID-19 cases rose to 319 in the week of May 21 to 27, from only 202 cases in the previous week.

The slight increase was recorded as two cases of the so-called “FLiRT” subvariants KP.2 and KP.3 were detected in the country.