Following the backlash over its recent statement that patients who are in tents are not covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp or Philhealth, the agency backtracked from its previous statement.
PhilHealth said in a statement that it has noted the current situation where patients are temporarily placed in tents because hospitals can no longer admit them in regular hospital beds.
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Some medical facilities are allegedly charging a P1,000 per hour rate for patients in tents. Philhealth said that they will investigate these claims.
“Be it COVID-19 or not, patients should be afforded with all the financial help as guaranteed by the Universal Health Care Law,” the statement read.
The statement was made after some COVID-19 patients and their relatives complained that they have to pay their hospital bills since being admitted in tents is not covered by Philhealth.
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PhilHealth said it “has been reviewing existing policies to better respond to the extraordinary demands brought about by this pandemic.”
“Enhanced guidelines will be issued the soonest to ensure that adequate financial protection is duly provided to the patients without compromising quality of care,” the agency added. (TDT)
