DAVAO CITY – The Mati City local government is seeking accreditation from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for its "Ligtas Covid Center" where coronavirus disease patients are admitted.
In a statement Wednesday, Mayor Michelle Rabat said they are currently processing their application for PhilHealth accreditation now that the Alternate Care Site (ACS) has been certified by the DOH.
Earlier, the Department of Health (DOH) certified the Isolation Facility of the Divine Healer as a Ligtas Covid Center or "temporary treatment and monitoring facility" that is equipped with 46 beds.
“A PhilHealth accreditation would mean that the ACS would be paid by PhilHealth for their expenses when treating a PhilHealth cardholder. Because at the moment, all medicines and other equipment used in the isolation and treatment of PUIs at the ACS are shouldered by the city government at no cost to the patients,” Rabat said.
Cost of treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) ranges from PHP43,000 to as high as over PHP1 million per patient -- depending on the hospital, the severity of symptoms and the number of confinement days.
Starting April 15, PhilHealth rolled out new benefits package to cover patients with Covid-19, depending on the severity of infection: patients with mild pneumonia (PHP43,997), patients with moderate pneumonia (PHP143,267), patients with severe pneumonia (PHP333,519), and patients with critical pneumonia (PHP786,984).
Meanwhile, Dr. Ben Hur Catbagan Jr., local Incident Management Team (IMT) commander, noted that the ACS could only handle mild Covid-19 cases for now and for severe cases, they will have to be transported to the Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC) in Tagum City, Davao del Norte for treatment.
"Our ACS manager is on the way to DRMC today for document signing (proof of service delivery) as part of the requirement for PHIC accreditation," Catbagan added. (PNA)
