The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is expected to continue its health coverage for coronavirus patients despite the corruption troubles hounding the state firm, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles assured the nation over the weekend.
According to Nograles, patients with the coronavirus illness should not worry about getting PhilHealth support for treatment costs as the government corporation is mandated by the Universal Health Care law to provide benefits to Filipinos.
"Alam naman natin may universal health care law, batas na 'yan. Ayon sa batas, especially ngayon dahil sa COVID, lahat ng pasyente na na positive sa COVID ay pag pumasok sa hospital, sasagutin ng PhilHealth (We know there is the Universal Health Care law. Based on the law, PhilHealth is expected to cover all COVID positive patients if they go to the hospital during this time)," he said during his first Facebook live video on Saturday night.
"Huwag kayong mag-alala. 'Yung PhilHealth alam ko may pinagdadaaan ang PhilHealth but we will make sure na kung ano man ang pinagdaadaan ng PhilHealth ay gagampanan pa rin ng PhilHealth ang kanyang tungkulin lalong-lalo na ngayong panahon ng COVID (Do not worry. I know PhilHealth is going through a challenge right now but we will make sure that regardless of this, PhilHealth will fulfill its duty especially during this period of COVID)," he said.
Nograles made the assurance about the PhilHealth support after President Duterte ordered an investigation into the alleged corruption and other anomalies in the state corporation.
The investigating panel, led by Department of Justice, is authorized to look into the finances of PhilHealth, conduct lifestyle checks on officials, and recommend preventive suspension of concerned persons pending the probe.
Nograles, also co-chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases (IATF), recognized the difficulties in having an illness and assured the patients of government support.
"Ito ung pinaka-essence ng universal health care law na lahat ng Pilipino will be covered dito sa COVID (This is the essence of universal health care law that all Filipinos will be covered during the COVID pandemic)," he said.
"Alam natin na hindi biro na magkasakit ng Covid-19, tapos kung poproblemahin pa natin kung saan kukunun ang pambayad into, that's No. 1. Kung di co-covered ang COVID-19 syempere baka magalanganin pa pumasok sa hospital kung kinakailangan (We know it is not a joke to get infected with COVID-19. If we agonize over where we will get payment and if we don't give COVID-19 coverage, the person might have second thoughts about going to the hospital even if needed)," he added.
Back in April, PhilHealth unveiled its new case rate packages for coronavirus patients admitted in hospitals.
Patients with be compensated as follows: Mild pneumonia for P43,997; moderate pneumonia for P143,267; severe pneumonia for P333,519; and critical pneumonia for P786,384.
The State health insurance firm also committed to pay for coronavirus tests ranging from P2,710 to P8,150.