PhilHealth to compensate for vaccine injury, death

KIDAPAWAN CITY - The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has introduced a compensation package for those who will develop serious adverse effects following inoculation for Covid-19 that will lead to hospitalization, permanent disability or death.

PhilHealth said the compensation package is only available to those who received Covid-19 jabs through the government’s vaccination program. The package is capped at P100,000 for hospitalizations to cover remaining charges after deduction of PhilHealth benefits, mandatory discounts, and other coverage provided by private health insurance companies and health management organizations (HMOs).

 

Similarly, a lump sum of P100,000 per beneficiary in case of permanent disability or death. However, PhilHealth clarified that it will cover patients who received inoculations through other initiatives, especially in the private sector, if the vaccines were sourced from the government’s vaccination program.

 

The compensation covers claims filed from March 3, 2021 to March 2, 2026 or until completion of the vaccination program, whichever comes first.

Those who will avail of this package must have had at least one vaccine received through the vaccination program. In addition, it must also be established that the vaccine does not have a Certificate of Product Registration at the time of inoculation; the beneficiary has not received compensation from COVAX Facility no-fault compensation program; and the result of the causality assessment must be “vaccine product-related reaction” or vaccine quality defect-related reaction.

 

Hospitalization benefits can be availed of more than once if the cap of P100,000 has not been reached yet. However, coverage for permanent disability or death can only be claimed once.

 

Among the requirements for compensation claims for hospitalization are proof of Covid-19 vaccination (vaccine card or slip); vaccine injury assessment survey; statement of account; medical certificate; and official receipt indicating deductions of PhilHealth benefits, private insurers or HMOs, and out-of-pocket expenses.

 

Other supporting documents such as duly signed physical examination reports describing the disabling manifestation or death certificate should also be included for permanent disability and death claims, respectively. (Rhoderick Benez and Malou Cablinda)