State insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) today reminded the public that senior citizens and Filipinos most at risk to the virus can get swab-tested for the coronavirus free of charge.
Rey Baleña, the agency’s spokesman, told ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo that PhilHealth has what it calls a “COVID-19 testing package” for those at risk and in need of a swab test.
According to the Department of Health’s (DOH) guidelines, these include “individuals aged 60 and above, pregnant, and those with underlying conditions or comorbidity.”
Baleña said that the said patients who qualify for the free RT-PCR test will simply need to visit any of the 105 DOH-accredited testing laboratories to avail of the benefit, which you can find listed here.
RT-PCR tests, which have been touted as the “gold standard” of COVID-19 testing, cost at least PHP4,000 (US$82) in the Philippines.
Read: Former investigation bureau chief Dante Gierran named new PhilHealth head
Despite drawing flak for the remark, Gierran’s appointment was accepted by the board of directors on Sept. 11. The new PhilHealth chief vowed to clean up the scandal-riddled agency which reportedly faces looming bankruptcy.
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