GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) shouldered the entire medical expenses of the city’s lone confirmed 2019 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patient, who was discharged over the weekend after almost two weeks of confinement.
Adrian Nicolas, social insurance assistant of the PhilHealth office here, said Monday the agency settled the patient’s (PH 3669) bills amounting to around PHP700,000 based on the guidelines earlier set by their central office for Covid-19 cases.
Nicolas said the patient was covered by the full package, as mandated for all positive cases confined in private and public hospitals until April 14.
“PH 3669 qualified for the no balance billing policy so we shouldered all his hospitalization and other medical expenses,” Nicolas said in an interview.
Nicolas said they also assisted patients who were previously classified as persons under monitoring and patients under investigation, with packages ranging from PHP43,000 to PHP786,000.
Hannah Naanep, PhilHealth-12 public information officer, said they fully covered the hospitalization expenses of all confirmed Covid-19 patients who were admitted in various facilities in the entire Soccsksargen from April 1 to 14.
Naanep said the disbursements for the patients were handled by their benefits administration section.
As of 5 p.m. Sunday, the region’s confirmed Covid-19 cases remained at 16, with one fatality and eight recoveries.
PH 3669, who was confirmed positive of Covid-19 last April 7, was released from the General Santos Doctor’s Hospital here Saturday night, two days after getting clearance from health authorities.
The 59-year-old male patient, who was among the cockfighting aficionados here who attended a derby in Davao City last month, tested negative on his repeat Covid-19 test based on results released on April 16 by the Southern Philippines Medical Center laboratory in Davao City.
Dr. Rochelle Oco, acting head of the City Health Office, said at least nine suspected Covid-19 patients were still admitted in local hospitals while 11 were undergoing home quarantine.
Oco said 28 suspected patients have already tested negative of the disease while the laboratory confirmation of two others was still pending.
As of Sunday, she said 97 individuals were undergoing home quarantine, including 45 persons who had close contact with PH 3669.
Oco added that they traced a total of 333 persons who were considered as “sub-contacts” of PH 3669 and also being monitored. (PNA)
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