IN light of recent reports on the typhoid fever outbreak in Tuburan town, Cebu, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) today assured its members that hospital admissions due to typhoid fever are compensable.
PhilHealth President and CEO Dr. Eduardo P. Banzon said that typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness caused by Salmonella typhi that thrives on contaminated food and drinks.
Aside from fever of as high as 39° to 40° C, typhoid fever is also characterized by body weakness, stomach and joint pains, headache, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, or intestinal hemorrhage.
Banzon advised members to "immediately seek medical help as soon as these symptoms manifest," adding that "we have about 1,600 accredited facilities nationwide that can attend to the medical care needs of our members or their dependents if confined for typhoid."
PhilHealth pays P14,000.00 for confinements due to typhoid fever. The amount covers hospital charges as well as professional fees of attending physicians. "Our members only need to ensure that they have at least three monthly contributions within a six-month period immediately prior to the month of availment to be able to maximize their benefits," the PhilHealth Chief added.
Last year, typhoid and paratyphoid fever ranked 17th among the leading causes of confinements of PhilHealth members, with PhilHealth paying P310 million for 42,411 cases admitted in accredited hospitals. (END) (by Faudia H. Subillaga)
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