The Philippine Red Cross has announced that it will cease to conduct COVID-19 tests chargeable to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) due to the state health insurer’s inability to settle its “ever-increasing outstanding balance.”
“We are constrained to cease conducting tests chargeable to PhilHealth effective today, 14 October 2020. We shall complete the testing of all specimens submitted to the PRC up to 11:59PM today,” the PRC said in a statement dated October 14.
After October 14, the PRC said it will no longer receive specimens for testing of overseas Filipino workers, those arriving in airports and seaports, individuals through the mega swabbing facilities and through local government units, frontline health and government workers, and others included in the expanded testing guidelines of the Department of Health (DOH) per its memorandum no. 2020-0258-A.
PRC said the cessation of PhilHealth-funded COVID-19 testing will remain until the state health insurer pays its overdue balance of P930,993,000.
“The PRC entered into an agreement with PhilHealth for the latter to reimburse the PRC for these priority tests requested by various government agencies,” it said.
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