Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has set the reimbursement limit for newborn screening test to only P550. This is in line with its Circular 29, series of 2009.
The directive will take effect for all claims with admission dates starting September 1, 2009.
It added that the Newborn Care Package (NCP) will cover reimbursement for the newborn screening fixed at P550, wherein the maximum out-of-pocket payment for members should only be P100.
The advisory stressed that other newborn care services, such as eye prophylaxis, umbilical cord care, Vitamin K, thermal care, BCG and Hepatitis B immunization, should also be given.
Republic Act 9288 (Newborn Screening Act of 2004) and Department of Health Administrative Order No. 2005-005 and 2008-026 guarantee that every baby born in the Philippines must be offered the opportunity to undergo newborn screening and thus be spared from heritable conditions that can lead to mental retardation and death if undetected and untreated. (PIA)