THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) reiterates its support for the National Government’s campaign to stop drug addiction in the country by developing a package designed to provide medical detoxification to drug dependents who desire to get rid of their addiction to illegal substances.

PhilHealth Acting President and CEO Ramon F. Aristoza Jr. said that “PhilHealth is mandated to provide health insurance coverage for all Filipinos and supports the government’s efforts in the fight against drugs. It is one with the government in achieving long-term abstinence from the use of illicit substances.”

Aristoza said that through the medical detoxification package, PhilHealth will ensure the provision of the minimum standards of medical interventions to safely manage the acute physical symptoms of withdrawal associated with stopping drug use.

The PhilHealth benefit rate for medical detoxification package is Php10, 000 as articulated in PhilHealth Circular No. 2016-0030. However, the state-run agency emphasized that the medical detoxification is only the first stage or the precursor to effective drug addiction treatment. The success of the medical detoxification depends on the collaborative and concerted efforts of pertinent agencies that shall address the challenges of drug addiction in terms of the personal, health and societal aspects of drug rehabilitation.

The medical detoxification package is available to PhilHealth members with acute physical symptoms of use of amphetamine-type stimulants such as methamphetamine, cocaine or ecstasy or a combination of these. However, if there is a documented indication to treat a common co-morbidity associated with withdrawal symptoms arising from the substance, a case rate corresponding to the co-morbidity may also be availed of.

Aristoza added that “all PhilHealth eligible members and dependents can avail themselves of the benefit package as a one-time benefit”, and emphasized that, “the No Balance Billing policy will be applied at all times to indigent, sponsored, kasambahay, lifetime and senior citizen members who are admitted in ward accommodation in accredited government Health Care Institutions (HCIs).

On the other hand, PhilHealth members who are admitted in government HCIs but are not eligible to NBB will have a co-payment that should not exceed the package rate.

Payments for medical detoxification package can be paid in a single tranche to the accredited HCI.

The package can be availed of in all accredited levels 1, 2 and 3 government hospitals and in Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers that are licensed or certified by the Department of Health and accredited by PhilHealth. (END)