PhilHealth: Senior citizens, at-risk persons can get swab tests for free

MANILA, Philippines — Senior citizens and other persons considered at risk from COVID-19 can get their swab tests for free, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) said Wednesday.

PhilHealth spokesperson Rey Baleña said the state health insurer has a COVID-19 testing package where the agency would shoulder the cost of swab tests for at-risk persons listed under the guidelines of the Department of Health (DOH).

“Ang PhilHealth ay mayroong COVID-19 testing package. Ito ay nakatalaga sa mga kababayan natin na nakalista sa DOH guidelines,” he said in an interview over ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo.

(The PhilHealth has a COVID-19 testing package for Filipinos listed under the DOH guidelines.)

“Dapat lamang yung qualified na mga kababayan natin ay wag na magbayad kasi sagot na sila ng PhilHealth,” he added.

(Those who are qualified should not pay anymore because PhilHealth will shoulder the cost.)

At present, there are 105 PhilHealth-accredited laboratories where senior citizens and other at-risk persons can get tested for the coronavirus.

“’Yung pasyente na pupunta doon at qualified among those at-risk sa listahan ng DOH ay sila ay entitled sa PhilHealth benefit,” Baleña said.

(The patients who will go there and who are among those who are qualified are entitled for the PhilHealth benefit.)

EDV