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The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) assured patients admitted in emergency rooms (ERs) and tents within the hospital compound pending availability of rooms will be covered by the agency.

In a statement released Aug. 19, PhilHealth said patients, including those battling the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), admitted and managed in the ER due to lack of rooms, shall receive full benefits if the stay is at least 24 hours, as stated in Advisory Nos. 2021-027 and 2021-028.

Private hospitals are required to submit a justification letter, together with the claim, in compliance with the policy.

PhilHealth also called on health care providers to honor all packages including those of patients staying in tents, ERs, or within the hospital premises wherein services are provided as part of in-patient care.

The state health insurer reiterated the policy as Covid-19 cases continue to surge and some health care facilities have reportedly been running at full capacity.

The Department of Health, through Memorandum No. 2020-0171, also instructed hospitals to adopt strategies to increase their capacities, including setting up of tents.

Patients confirmed infected with Covid-19 and who developed severe illnesses can avail themselves of in-patient benefits for mild pneumonia, PHP43,997; moderate pneumonia, PHP143,267; severe pneumonia, PHP333,519; and critical pneumonia, PHP786,384.

The intermediate package for previously managed as probable Covid-19 case but had negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test results are also covered amounting to PHP18,000 and PHP38,000 for moderate and severe/critical pneumonia, respectively.