PhilHealth extends privileges during catastrophes
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2020 17:33:09 +0000
THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) extends certain privileges to ensure continued provision of responsive healthcare benefits to members at all times, especially during the recent eruption of Taal Volcano.
Pursuant to its Circular 34, s. 2013, claims of nonaccredited healthcare facilities on behalf of members or their beneficiaries shall be covered, provided that the concerned facilities are duly licensed or certified by the Department of Health. The same also extends to services by nonaccredited healthcare professionals but are holders of a valid license issued by the Professional Regulations Commission.
Also covered are claims for medical treatments done as an outpatient or inpatient relative to both direct and indirect effects of a fortuitous event within improvised or satellite facilities as well as for patients being transferred from or managed by health care personnel from accredited facilities in evacuation areas or improvised health care facilities.
The circular also extends special privileges such as exemption from the 45 days annual benefit limit and the policy on “single period of confinement.”
Admissions of less than 24 hours shall also be paid while filing period of claims is extended from 60 days to 120 days from discharge of the patient. Also granted under the policy include extension of deadlines in the payment of premium contributions, reimbursement for both referring and receiving healthcare facilities, priority in the processing of claims, extension of deadline for submission of health care facility reports and extension of accreditation of providers as applicable, among others.