PhilHealth bares new COVID rates

CEBU, Philippines —  The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) announces the new rate of its benefit package for COVID-19 testing.

This adjustment resulted from PhilHealth’s continuing consultation with stakeholders and infectious disease experts, increased availability and affordability of testing kits in the market, and increased number of qualified facilities to do SARS-CoV-2 testing.

As approved by the PhilHealth Board of Directors, the new rates are as follows:

•All services for testing are procured and provided by the testing laboratory, the amount is P3,409;

 •Test kits are donated to the testing laboratory, the amount is P2,077;

 •Test kits are donated to the testing laboratory; cost of running the laboratory and RT-PCR machine for testing is included in the facility budget, the amount P901.00.

 PhilHealth, in a statement, clarified that the package is for costs attributable to services related to testing such as clinical assessment, specimen collection, specimen transport and materials such as PPEs and test kits.

A circular on pertinent guidelines and date of effectivity will be issued soon.

  In Central Visayas, at least three facilities certified by the Department of Health as testing laboratories which are accredited by PhilHealth – the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Cebu TB Reference Laboratory, and the Allegiant Regional Care (ARC) Hospitals in Lapu-Lapu City.  LPM (FREEMAN)