The Department of Health said blood and blood products transfused to mothers giving birth in hospitals should be 100 percent covered and paid for by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.
DoH Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial said they are making this recommendation as they continue to explore means to improve the benefit packages of PhilHealth in line with the universal health care (UHC) or “Kalusugang Pangkalahatan” program.
Ubial noted that ideally, such service should not be included in the case rates of PhilHealth among the mothers giving birth.
She cited that while it is true that some pregnant women giving birth need units of blood, there are many others who do not need blood transfusion during and after delivery.
As an example, she said, in cases where mothers give birth through caesarian section, some will require at least 10 bags of blood because of postpartum hemorrhage.
“Some of them do not need blood… So why will you put it in the case rates? So the case rates should only cover the things needed,” she said.
The health chief said she will closely network with PhilHealth on how the recommendation can be.