The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Sunday, June 14, said it has reached out to the family of a deceased member and is coordinating with the hospitals involved after a viral social media post claimed that the patient was denied benefits because his confinement reportedly lasted less than 24 hours.

The state health insurer said it immediately mobilized efforts upon learning of the incident and has since coordinated with the member’s wife while exploring possible forms of support.

“We are aware of the circulating post regarding a PhilHealth member who passed away while in the process of being transferred to and assessed at a receiving hospital. We empathize deeply with the family who lost a loved one,” PhilHealth said in a statement.

“PhilHealth immediately mobilized, upon learning of the incident, to understand and address the situation. We have since reached out to the member’s wife and have agreed on the next steps as we explore all avenues of support,” it added.

The statement came after a Facebook post circulated online claiming that a family’s hospital bill had reached around P200,000 but that the deceased member was reportedly deemed ineligible for PhilHealth benefits because his confinement reportedly lasted less than 24 hours.

PhilHealth did not directly address the claim regarding the reported confinement requirement but said it is coordinating with the hospitals involved to determine the circumstances surrounding the case.

“We are likewise coordinating with the hospitals to understand the circumstances of the situation, as part of our sustained efforts to improve PhilHealth’s responsiveness,” the agency said.

Also, the state health insurer assured members of its continued support during times of medical need.

“Please know that PhilHealth will always stand with our members, especially in their time of need,” it said.