The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) assured the public that it covers services for inpatient confinement for “whooping cough.”
PhilHealth President and CEO Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr. encouraged all Filipinos to seek medical consultation by availing PhilHealth Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (Konsulta) Package if they exhibit symptoms of pertussis like mild fever, cough, or cold.
“If our Kababayans need medical consultation, I encourage them to avail themselves of the free consultation and the medicines they need to treat the disease as recommended by the healthcare provider under PhilHealth Konsulta. All they have to do is register,” he declared.
PhilHealth Konsulta or Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama is the comprehensive outpatient primary care benefit package that includes free consultation, targeted health risk screening and assessment, selected laboratory and diagnostic tests, drugs and medicines as recommended by the healthcare provider.
He also expressed support for DOH’s call for urgent vaccination and stressed the importance of preventive care saying that, “Vaccination and early detection are our strongest defenses against pertussis. I advise all our Kababayans to check the vaccination status of their children and have regular consultations to prevent the spread of the disease.”
Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is described by the World Health Organization as a respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis bacterium. Symptoms include a mild fever, colds, and a “staccato” cough, usually appearing 7 to 10 days after infection. It is highly contagious, spreading through droplets when a person sneezes or coughs. Infants and young children who haven’t received the DTaP vaccine (Diptheria, Tetanus, and acellular Pertussis) are the most vulnerable to this disease, which can be prevented through vaccination and is treatable by antibiotics.
On cases requiring confinement, the PhilHealth Chief said that the case rate benefits for pertussis range from P13,000 to P19,000. “We understand the concerns surrounding pertussis treatment and want to reassure the public that PhilHealth is fully committed to supporting individuals needing inpatient care for this illness.” He added that if a patient develops severe pneumonia, a common complication of this disease, PhilHealth has a benefit package for it as high as P90,100.
Ledesma further urged the public to take safety measures learned during the pandemic to prevent emergence of the infectious illness. “Let’s continue to take safety measures we practiced during the COVID-19 pandemic like regular handwashing to protect the lives of those around us, especially the children. But rest assured that PhilHealth guarantees patients will receive the care they need while it pays for the medical expenses.”, he asserted.