PhilHealth hikes severe dengue package rate by 200%

FILE: BUSINESS UNUSUAL. Philippine Health Insurance Corp. transactions go through the manual process, like in this branch in Mother Ignacia Avenue, Quezon City, on Tuesday (Sept. 26, 2023), four days after its system was attacked by the Medusa ransomware. The cyberhackers are reportedly demanding USD300,000 or about PHP17 million to decrypt the files, but the state health insurer said it won’t pay. (PNA photo by Joan Bondoc)

By Ma. Teresa Montemayor, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has increased its benefit package for severe dengue from PHP16,000 to PHP47,000 as cases rise nationwide.

The new package rate is effective starting Nov. 1, 2024.

Latest data from the Department of Health showed that the number of dengue cases nationwide from Jan. 1 to Oct. 26 has reached 314,785.

The National Capital Region reached alert level with 24,232 cases and 66 dengue-related deaths recorded.

The state insurer said the increase is part of its ongoing benefit rationalization to provide adequate financial risk protection to Filipinos who are afflicted with the disease.

Earlier, its benefit package for dengue with or without warning signs have already increased from PHP10,000 to PHP13,000.

“PhilHealth is committed to supporting Filipinos, most especially during these challenging times,” PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Ledesma said in a new release on Tuesday.

“With this two-fold increase in health insurance coverage for severe dengue, we hope to alleviate the financial burden on affected families. There is no more reason to delay seeking immediate medical treatment upon observing dengue symptoms,” he added.

PhilHealth reminded its members that patients availing of services beyond the minimum standards of care in non-ward accommodations, including additional services unrelated to dengue management in accredited private health facilities, will have copayment.

Meanwhile, services in non-basic accommodations in public facilities are subject to fixed copayment.

In these cases, patients will be charged additional fees for upgraded services (private, executive or suite rooms), choice of physicians, and the use of amenities such as refrigerators, microwave ovens and Wi-Fi.

Attending physicians are required to thoroughly inform patients of minimum standards of care for the management of severe dengue, and the resulting out-of-pocket or copayment arising from the availment of amenities and upgraded services.