PhilHealth covers pertussis in-patients

CEBU, Philippines — In line with the recent reports on the rising cases of whooping cough in the country, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) assured the public that it covers services for in-patient confinement for this condition.

PhilHealth President and CEO Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. encouraged all Filipinos to seek medical consultation by availing PhilHealth Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (Konsulta) Package if they exhibit symptoms of pertussis like mild fever, cough, or cold.

PhilHealth Konsulta is the comprehensive outpatient primary care benefit package that includes free consultation, targeted health risk screening and assessment, selected laboratory and diagnostic tests, and drugs and medicines, as recommended by the healthcare provider.

Ledesma also expressed support for DOH’s call for urgent vaccination and stressed the importance of preventive care.

“Vaccination and early detection are our strongest defenses against pertussis. I advise all our kababayans to check the vaccination status of their children and have regular consultations to prevent the spread of the disease,” he said.

Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is described by the World Health Organization as a respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis bacterium.

Symptoms include a mild fever, colds, and a “staccato” cough, usually appearing seven to 10 days after infection.

Pertussis is highly-contagious disease that can spread through droplets when a person sneezes or coughs. Infants and young children who haven’t received the DTaP (Diptheria, Tetanus, and acellular Pertussis) vaccine are the most vulnerable to this disease, which can also be treated with antibiotics.

On cases requiring confinement, Ledesma said that the case rate benefits for pertussis range from ?13,000 to ?19,000. He added that if a patient develops severe pneumonia, a common complication of this disease, PhilHealth has a benefit package for it as high as ?90,100.

Ledesma also urged the public to take safety measures learned during the pandemic to prevent emergence of the infectious illness.

“Let’s continue to take safety measures we practiced during the COVID-19 pandemic like regular hand washing to protect the lives of those around us, especially the children. But rest assured that PhilHealth guarantees patients will receive the care they need while it pays for the medical expenses,” Ledesma added. — (FREEMAN)