Philhealth aids nonmembers

THE PHILIPPINE Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will extend assistance to members, and even nonmembers, who had been treated for leptospirosis.

PhilHealth members, whowere admitted to hospitals beginning Aug. 7 for “uncomplicated” leptospirosis, would be reimbursed, said Abigail Valte, deputy presidential spokesperson.

Quoting PhilHealth officials, Valte said that even nonmembers who were affected by the recent flooding and diagnosed with uncomplicated leptospirosis would be automatically enrolled as PhilHealth members and be accorded benefits.

“The premium payment shall be waived and the membership validity period is from Aug. 1, 2012, to July 31, 2013. So that takes care of the problem of nonmembers of PhilHealth belonging to the lowest quintile,” she said in a briefing Tuesday.

Extension period

Valte said PhilHealth also extended the period for the filing of benefit claims bymembers and their dependents from June 8 to Aug. 21.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial ailment that afflicts people with open sores who come into contact with the urine and feces of rats in floodwaters.

Some 2,003 people had been infected with leptospirosis during the first seven months of the year, higher than the 887 cases reported during the same period last year. At least 97 people have died from the ailment this year.

Meanwhile, Valte said the Department of Social Welfare and Development had provided P41.66 million in relief assistance to flood victims in Metro Manila andRegions I, II, III and IV.

“The President did have some questions on the operability of that,” she said on the proposed centralization of evacuation centers in government buildings. “So that will have to be fleshed out.”