Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 25) — PhilHealth has come up with a revised COVID-19 test package, slashing half of the original price after receiving criticisms from lawmakers.
Ricardo Morales, president and CEO of PhilHealth, said on Thursday that the high demand for testing and low volume of supplies have “jacked up” the cost of services during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The current PhilHealth coronavirus test package amounts to ₱8,150. Given the new computation of the country’s health insurance corporation, the test package can now cost roughly around ₱4,210.
“The initial cost estimates were done in March 2020, where all the data gathered was during that time,” PhilHealth’s Dr. Ish Pargas told a House committee hearing on COVID-19. “We have very limited information. But at that time, we already know that we needed to adjust the package amount.”
On Monday, Morales said the state insurance firm uses “market forces” in setting the COVID-19 testing benefit package, clarifying that the lower coverage amount has been planned even before Drilon’s allegations.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon earlier questioned the “costly” test package, warning the corporation of incurring a potential loss of over ₱8 billion.
READ: Solon warns of ₱8-B potential loss with ‘overpriced’ PhilHealth COVID-19 test package
“Tandaan natin ang mga presyo ngayon. Pagdating ng July or October, makikita natin na bababa further [Take note of the prices now. By July or October, we will see those decline further],” Morales said during the government’s Laging Handa briefing, noting that improved supply and the expanded capacity of testing laboratories will also pull down prices.
Pargas said PhilHealth is continuously reviewing the test packages as more data came in.
The services included in the package are clinical assessment, specimen collection, the handling and transport of specimen, real-time RT-PCR testing, and the analysis and reporting of results.
Based on the presentation of PhilHealth to the House health committee, the chunk of the price slash came from the PCR testing process.
The service used to cost ₱5,442, which covers the use of PCR equipment, laboratory supplies, and two medical staff to perform the testing.
Meanwhile in the proposed package, the PCR test now costs ₱2,508, which is less than half of the original amount.
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“Gusto kong bigyang-diin na walang overpricing ang cost [I want to emphasize that there was no overpricing of costs],” he added, explaining that it was wrong to compare the package amount to the cost of each testing kit. Morales said that PhilHealth also covers for the costs to purchase, transport, extract, and even transfer specimen to testing centers for reimbursement.
PhilHealth has also said it has not yet released funds to pay COVID-19 claims and Morales dismissed estimated losses computed by lawmakers. “How can we suffer a loss if we have not paid anything yet?,” he said.
The PhilHealth chief has assured there are still enough funds to cover COVID-19 expenses, but 2021 could be “grim” if the country does not manage to control new infections.
Currently, PhilHealth covers between ₱43,997 to as high as ₱786,384 worth of hospital expenses incurred by COVID-19 patients.
CNN Philippines’ Melissa Luz Lopez contributed to this report.
