PhilHealth reiterates TB benefit package

CEBU, Philippines - In the wake of recent reports on the state of tuberculosis (TB) control in the country, PhilHealth-7 reminds members of its benefit package for TB treatment.

Active TB is treated with a combination of medications which could last for months. It has recently been very difficult to treat drug-resistant TB especially because some patients do not strictly follow the prescribed treatment and dosage of medication.

The internationally-recommended strategy for TB control is the Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) for which PhilHealth offers an outpatient benefit package of P4,000. The package covers new cases of TB in members or dependents undergoing treatment in PhilHeath-accredited DOTS centers or facilities.

The benefit items include diagnostic workup, consultation services, and anti-TB drugs for outpatient services. The package amount will be paid directly to the DOTS facility. The treatment course ensures that individuals enrolled in the program follow through the prescribed treatment and dosage of medication over the period set for the purpose.

In Cebu City, there are five PhilHealth accredited TB-DOTS centers: the Cebu TB Pavilion DOTS Center, Mabolo DOTS Center, Perpetual Succour Hospital-PPMD; Sacred Heart Hospital-PPMD 7, and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

An employed or individually-paying member shall be entitled to avail of the TB-DOTS package as long as at least three months of contribution must have been paid within the immediate six months prior to enrolment at the DOTS center.

Sponsored and OFW members can avail of the DOTS package as long as enrolment at the DOTS center begins within the validity date of the member’s coverage, as stated in the member data record (MDR) or family health card.

Lifetime members may avail of this outpatient TB treatment upon presentation of his/her updated MDR and lifetime member ID.

TB is an infectious disease caused by bacteria. A person gets infected with tuberculosis bacteria when he or she inhales minute particles of infected sputum from the air.

The bacteria get in the air when someone who is infected with TB coughs, sneezes, shouts or spits. The usual symptoms for an active TB infection are a generalized tiredness or weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats.

In more severe cases, the symptoms can include coughing, chest pain, coughing up of sputum (material from the lungs) and/or blood and shortness of breath.

TB can also spread to other parts of the body such as the kidneys, bone, lining of the brain and spinal cord. TB can be diagnosed in several different ways including chest x-rays, analysis of sputum and skin tests. (THE FREEMAN)