A family member of a patient who has recovered from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) breaks down the treatment expenses for the disease in a private hospital in Metro Manila—and it costs more than PHP1 million.
The said family member, in an interview with PEP.ph, said that receipts of the patient’s COVID-19 treatment amounted to PHP1,112,327.59.
However, he said that since the patient—which is considered a moderate case only—fell sick before April 14, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will cover the amount. As per PhilHealth President and CEO Ricardo Morales’ announcement last April 2, the corporation will pay for “the full cost of treatment for all COVID-19 cases until 14 April 2020.”
The report added that after April 14, PhilHealth will be setting a cap on the amount it will shoulder for all COVID-19 patients, Persons Under Investigation, and Persons Under Monitoring-introducing case rate packages to allow the agency to wisely allocate its funds
The packages range from PHP43,997 for mild pneumonia, PHP143,267 for moderate pneumonia, PHP333,519 for severe pneumonia, and PHP786,384 for critical cases of pneumonia.
The family member said that since the patient still falls under PhilHealth’s full coverage, they just wrote a promissory note to the hospital, which will serve as a supporting document of the hospital when they request PhilHealth to shoulder the expenses.
According to the family member’s interview with PEP.ph, these are some of the costs for COVID-19 treatment.
COVID-19 testing
According to the Department of Health, anyone can get themselves tested for free if they suspect of having COVID-19.
Those who have been confined and confirmed, however, must take the test at least three times before they get discharged. One test can cost around PHP8,000 in private hospitals or PHP1,500 in others—this is due to the low-cost testing kits by the University of the Philippines.
Transportation
Local government units can offer ambulance transportation for free, but those who prefer to be taken by a private hospital’s will have to should PHP16,000 for a round trip—PHP10,000 is for the vehicle’s conduction while PHP6,000 is for the ambulance’s protective equipment.
Confinement
According to the family member, the patient was diagnosed with a normal case of COVID-19—meaning he did not have pre-existing health illness. For that, he was confined for 18 days.
The billing statement amounted to PHP1,112,327.59.
Stay at the emergency room (ER)
The family member added that the cost of the patient’s eight-day stay at the ER totaled PHP176,945.
According to him, this covered medication, as well as cardiac monitors and oxymeters. The patient was also billed PHP123,665 for the ventilator—which he used on his second day up to the time he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital.
Laboratory tests
The patient was billed PHP178,820 was laboratory tests that included blood tests, X-rays, and COVID One test kits
Pharmaceutical products
The relative furthered that among the biggest cost of the treatment include pharmaceutical products which included 83 Sodium Chloride syringes, 30 Fentanyl Citrate tablets, 17 Enoxaparin sodium syringes, and 16 Amlodipine Besylate tablets—the total amount was PHP305,636.06.
Room
The patient, according to his family member, stated in the ICU for four days. The room’s amount reached up to PHP6,300 per day.
He was then transferred to the regular isolation room, which costed him PHP6,100 per day. He was confined there for five days until discharge, amounting to PHP30,500.
