Philhealth bares benefit for MERS-CoV

In response to the imminent danger in public health posed by recent confirmed Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases in the country and worldwide, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) bared its package for confirmed cases of MERS-CoV, a viral respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus, with no known vaccine to date.

A circular issued by Philhealth states that the benefit covers confirmed cases with confirmatory tests done in the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and may be availed in accredited facilities with capacity to manage the disease.

According to Johanna Blason, Public Relations Officer III for Philhealth XI, the availment of said benefit for Davao region may be done at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) with benefit package amounting to Php 50,000 for non-health workers and Php 100,000 for health workers.

Health workers refer to those employees in health care institutions here or abroad who had close contact with a MERS-CoV patient and may have acquired the illness while performing one’s duty.
Blason also stated that all availments are subject to the corporation’s No Balance Billing Policy (NBB) and that all claims will undergo medical and post audit evaluation as part of Philhealth’s monitoring and assessment of the health care provider’s performance.

She further added that the benefit package covers all admissions starting January of this year. (PHIC, Kleah Dublin)