PhilHealth reminds public of leptospirosis, dengue coverage

Amid the rising leptospirosis and dengue cases due to the recent weather disturbances, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Thursday reiterated that it is offering compensation for the confinements due to these infections.

Dr. Israel Francis Pargas, PhilHealth's Senior Vice President for the Health Finance Policy Sector, said that the agency provides two types of coverage for dengue patients: a P10,000 package rate for simple dengue cases, and P16,000 for severe dengue cases.

PhilHealth’s package rate for leptospirosis, meanwhile, amounts to around P11,000.

“Dapat ang ating mga miyembro ay registered sa ating PhilHealth database. Dapat ay kung sila ay direct contributor, ay merong kontribusyon at kung hindi naman, ay sila ay miyembro at pinagbabayad ng national government natin,” Pargas said, explaining how eligible Filipinos could claim the benefits.

(Our members must be registered in our PhilHealth database. If they are direct contributors, they must have a contribution and if not, they must be members and are being paid by our national government.)

The latest data by the Department of Health (DOH) showed that there were 336 leptospirosis cases recorded from July 23 to August 5, 2023.

This was 59% higher compared to the leptospirosis cases logged two weeks prior or from July 9- 22.

Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Davao Region, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the National Capital Region (NCR) registered a “continuous increase in cases" in the recent six weeks from June 25 to August 5.

Soccsksargen and Ilocos Region posted an increase in the recent three to four weeks (July 9 to July 22), while Cagayan Valley and Eastern Visayas showed an increase in the recent two weeks (July 23 to August 5).

DOH also registered a one percent increase in dengue cases from July 2 to July 15.

During this period, 9,877 dengue cases were reported, while there were 9,782 cases logged two weeks prior.

Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and East Visayas all showed upticks with 1,159 cases recorded at most.

Cagayan Valley had the highest dengue increase of 46% during that time, according to DOH.

As of June 2023, Pargas said the claims for leptospirosis reached P700 million, while that of dengue hit P100 million. —NB, GMA Integrated News