THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) yesterday warned hospitals and medical facilities against charging medical frontliners and allied health workers who have been infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
“Hospitals may face sanctions should they be found to have refused admission or charged any co-payment to any health workers exposed and treated for COVID-19,” said the state health insurer.
As of July 5, a total of 3,513 healthcare workers have been infected by COVID-19, with 2,643 of them having recovered and 34 having died.
According to PhilHealth, all medical frontliners and health workers are entitled to full hospitalization coverage should they contract COVID-19 for the entire duration of the pandemic.
This is in accordance with Circular No. 2020-0011 issued on April 14, which guarantees “full financial risk for Filipino health workers and patients against coronavirus disease.”
All health workers are also entitled to PhilHealth benefits for COVID-19 testing package ranging from P901 to P3,409, as stipulated in Circular No. 2020-0017.
Considered health workers are physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, administrative and support personnel in health facilities, utility and security personnel working in health facilities, health volunteers deployed in health facilities, and staff and personnel working in government health agencies.
PhilHealth urged medical frontliners to “invoke this privilege granted by law, and to immediately report any information of abuse or negligence on the part of health care providers.”
