THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) today formally introduces three product developments and innovations at point-of-service that will make benefit availment easier and making premium remittance more convenient for its partner-employers.

Dubbed as “PhilHealth Forward,” the activity, which unfolds at the Marco Polo Hotel, Pasig City, showcases the latest evolvement and innovations on at least three (3) product developments – Middle East Respiratory Syndrome - Corona Virus, Ebola and Dialysis (both hemodialysis and peritoneal), one (1) innovation at point-of-service to make benefits availment easier, and one (1) important enhancement in PhilHealth’s existing systems to make premium remittance more convenient, especially for its partner-employers.

PhilHealth Forward is an institutional activity where new products and services are being introduced to the public.

The state-run health insurer assured its 89 million beneficiaries that although the threat of emerging diseases like Ebola and MERS-CoV are already controlled in other countries, PhilHealth is ready with a benefit package should the said diseases emerge in the country.

The medical assistance for Ebola is P110,000 for the first seven (7) days, and an additional P16,000 per day for the next seven (7) days. On the other hand, the package for MERS-CoV is P100,000 for health workers and P50,000 for non-health workers.

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PhilHealth also made some significant adjustments in compensating for hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis through the case rate mechanism. The available number of days was extended from 45 to 90 per year through a benefit-sharing arrangement between and among principal members and dependents, and the per session rate was rationalized to P2,600.

Another development is the deployment of the Health Care Institution (HCI) Portal, wherein checking of member’s eligibility to avail of PhilHealth benefit is on real time in the hospital. PhilHealth members may no longer submit the requisite documents because once the Portal says ‘’yes,’’ entitlement to benefits is a go. Since it is mandatory for the HCIs to install the portal since last year, compliance is already 90 percent nationwide.

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PhilHealth is also introducing system enhancements for its partner-employers. The Electronic Premium Reporting System (EPRS) is now called Electronic Premium Remittance System. With the new EPRS, employers especially those with hundreds or thousands of employees nationwide can now remit their premium contributions online.

“PhilHealth continuously upgrades its capabilities to be in with the times, for the benefit of our members. It is a reiteration of our commitment to give our stakeholders what they deserve, be it in terms of benefit packages, or technical innovations that will dramatically reduce the number of steps it will take to be able to access benefits, or to fulfil one’s responsibility to keep premium payments updated,” said Alexander A. Padilla, PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer. (END)