MANILA, Nov 28 (PNA) — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) urged residents in Tacloban and Ormoc with health insurance concerns to visit their offices which have been in operation since Monday, November 25.
PhilHealth President and CEO Alexander Padilla said in a statement that after suffering heavy damage from strong winds and storm surges, PhilHealth is back on track to providing services as needed.
“We are back in operation in these two major cities for the benefit of our members and partners, thanks to our resilient and dedicated team in Region VIII,” Padilla said in a statement.
PhilHealth earlier assured the public that at least seven of their local health insurance offices and service desks in Southern Leyte, Samar and Biliran are still up and running despite the severe damage and very unusual situation that their employees are in.
“These offices can perform membership registration and verification concerns (without online inquiry due to power outage) and receiving of benefit claims and premium contributions, except for the service desks” he added.
He also added that members and partners can contact their Yolanda Action Center at (02) 441-7425 to 26 for PhilHealth’s disaster recovery, rehabilitation and support efforts in the area.
The PhilHealth chief also said that to institutionalize their response during fortuitous events of such magnitude, PhilHealth has issued a policy that will serve as their template of response to ensure continuing health care benefits.
In its Circular 34, s-2013 dated Nov.15, 2013, PhilHealth stated that it will pay claims of members and non-members and accredited and non-accredited hospitals and professionals during such events.
“We will even extend filing period for claims to 120 days from date of discharge, make exemptions to the less than 24-hour confinement rule, and even reimbursement for destroyed claims” Padilla noted.
The Circular also allows for extension of deadline of premium payments and/or existing coverage as prescribed by PhilHealth, among other. (PNA)