CONSISTENT with its aim to provide its members and qualified dependents with access to the highest quality of medical care, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) continues to find ways to further expand its array of social health insurance benefit packages for every Filipino.
In 2006, PhilHealth launched the Newborn Care Package (NCP) in support of Republic Act 9288 or the Newborn Screening Act of 2004, to ensure that every newborn baby undergoes prevention and early detection of any possible diseases that may develop during their growth.
Over a ten-year period, the number of claims for NCP has steadily increased and in 2016, the NCP placed second among the top ten (10) procedures with the highest number of claims paid for by PhilHealth, next to hemodialysis.
In 2016, PhilHealth paid P1,318,849,430.00 for 818,465 NCP claims, or an increase of 21.19 percent from the previous year’s P1,088,191,145.00 it paid for 679,256 claims. The significant rise in these figures can be attributed to members’ awareness of PhilHealth’s benefit package for the newborn child.
The NCP includes BCG vaccination (an immunization against tuberculosis), umbilical cord care, eye prophylaxis, administration of vitamin K, thermal care, first dose of Hepatitis B immunization, hearing test, newborn screening test, and professional fees. Only accredited healthcare providers may deliver the necessary services within the said package.
Amie Bandola, a first-time mom who has availed herself of the NCP at the Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City expresses her great appreciation to PhilHealth. “Sa tulong na ibinigay ng PhilHealth, masisiguro ko ang kalusugan ko at ng anak ko. Ramdam naming mga mahihirap ang alagang dala ng PhilHealth sa panahon ng pangangailangan. PhilHealth, maraming salamat dahil makauuwi na kami ng baby ko.”
The NCP may be availed of by PhilHealth dependents delivered in accredited Levels 1, 2 and 3 government hospitals, lying-in clinics, birthing homes, Rural Health Units, health centers, and private clinics that are licensed and certified as newborn screening facilities by the Department of Health (DOH) and accredited by PhilHealth.
The PhilHealth benefit rate for NCP is Php 1,750.00 which include professional fee and shall be paid directly to the institutional health care provider. The claim for NCP is independent from the mothers’ claim for delivery. (END) (Dianna Marie S. Chua)
