AS THE country braces for prolonged dry conditions due to the severe El Niño, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) said it is prepared to cover various heat-related and other illnesses that may affect Filipinos.
In a statement, PhilHealth said it is ready to respond to the increased risks of heat stroke, dehydration, asthma, hypertension, dengue and water-borne infections.
“PhilHealth is stepping up health protection against extreme heat and heat-related illnesses,” read part of the advisory.
Through the Outpatient Emergency Care Benefit (OECB), PhilHealth said it covers emergency services that do not require hospital admission, including doctor consultations, diagnostic tests, imaging, emergency procedures and essential medicines.
For severe conditions requiring hospital confinement, PhilHealth said it covers fixed case rates for treatment in accredited hospitals. These include typhoid fever (P19,500); heat fatigue (P18,135); sore eyes (P16,575); heat stroke or cramps (P12,675); acute gastroenteritis (P11,700); and chickenpox and moderate-to-severe dehydration (P7,800).
“PhilHealth provides all its members with both outpatient and inpatient coverage,” the agency said.
Earlier, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government was preparing for a very strong El Niño, which could bring hotter and drier conditions.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the very strong El Niño could begin affecting the country more intensely in late October or early November and persist until around March 2027. / Anton Banal