Claims of qualified patients who will be treated or confined due to leptospirosis, a bacterial infection caused by contact with rodent urine, would be paid by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.
PhilHealth’s coverage for leptospirosis is worth P11,000.00 which already includes payment for doctor’s fees.
It will be paid directly to the accredited health care institutions.
However, for leptospirosis patients who will develop complications such as those that will need dialysis treatments, the health insurer said it would continuously provide financial support through a different benefit package for such procedure.
To qualify for PhilHealth coverage, members must have paid at least three months premium contributions within the immediate six months prior to the first day of confinement at any accredited HCIs.
PhilHealth also reiterated that Kasambahays, Indigent, Sponsored and Senior Citizen members are entitled to no balance billing or “Walang Dagdag Bayad” when the eligible patient is confined in ward-type accommodation in government hospitals..
To fully guide members in availing themselves of their benefits, PhilHealth encouraged members to call their 24/7 Corporate Action Center hotline at (02) 441 7442.
The announcement came in support of the Department of Health’s campaign to raise public awareness amid the increasing cases of leptospirosis in the country especially due to the recent flooding caused by torrential rains.
Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said the fatality rate of leptospirosis is a bit high, almost 10 percent.
“Out of 1,000 infected, we have confirmed that 99 died,” he added.
The DoH said there were 1,030 cases of leptospirosis reported nationwide to the DoH from Jan. 1 to June 9 this year, which is 41 percent higher than the number recorded during the same period last year.
Of this number, 339 were laboratory-tested and 77 turned positive for Leptospirosis.
There were 93 deaths recorded but Domingo said it was 99.
The DoH official also said cases of leptospirosis increased due to heavy rains hat caused massive flooding.
He said floodwaters contaminated with rat urine swamped large parts of the country.
He described as “alarming” the report that state kidney hospital recorded six leptospirosis deaths in three days.