PhilHealth ready to shoulder lepto cases

MANILA - The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) said Friday, July 6, that it is ready to shoulder the medical expenses of its members afflicted by leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis, according to the Department of Health (DOH), is an infection commonly transmitted to humans from water that has been contaminated by animal urine, usually rats. The infection is caused by Leptospira bacteria that enters the body through wounds or lesions in the skin, eyes or with the mucous membranes.

In a statement, PhilHealth said the coverage for leptospirosis is pegged at P11,000 and is inclusive of the payment for doctor's fees. It should be paid directly to the accredited health care institutions (HCIs).

“We are ready to pay for claims for leptospirosis should they or any of their qualified dependents be confined and treated for the dreaded disease,” said PhilHealth.

To qualify for the said coverage, PhilHealth members must have paid at least three months premium contributions within the immediate six months prior to the first day of confinement at any accredited HCIs.

PhilHealth also assured that kasambahays, indigent, sponsored, and senior citizen members are entitled to “no balance billing” when the eligible patient is confined in ward-type accommodation in government hospitals.

As for leptospirosis patients who will develop complications, the state health insurance agency assured them that they will continuously be covered.

“Those that will need dialysis treatments, we will continuously provide financial support through a different benefit package for such procedure,” said PhilHealth.

For 2017, PhilHealth said it paid a total of P21.8 million in social health insurance benefits for leptospirosis cases.

The amount is up by 46 percent compared to P15 million it paid in 2016.

On July 5, the Department of Health declared leptospirosis outbreak in a total of 18 barangays in seven Metro Manila cities.

The villages affected include barangays in the cities of Quezon, Taguig, Pasig, Parañaque, Navotas, Mandaluyong, and Malabon.

The declaration came after the DOH saw the rising number of leptospirosis cases over the last two weeks. HDT/SunStar Philippines