PhilHealth: Benefits remain accessible for OFWs in Middle East 

PhilHealth benefits remain accessible to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in war-torn areas of the Middle East, the state insurer said.

In an interview with GMA News Online during a launch at SSS Diliman on Thursday, PhilHealth Vice President Walter Bacareza said that the conflict would not directly affect their services, but will cause an inflation of costs in other sectors.

This may lead to an extensive financial burden on beneficiaries.

“Wag na natin dagdagan ang problema ng [Let's not add problems to the] financial health of the family by not seeking primary care,” he said.

Despite this, he said that OFWs in the Middle East can still continue to seek benefit packages for reimbursement in the Philippines.

“For curative care, halimbawa nasugatan o nadapa [for instance if they get injured or fall], they can seek medical care in the Middle East and we will reimburse it here in the Philippines,” he added.

In January, PhilHealth worked with the Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) to provide expanded benefit packages for OFWs.

Among the programs discussed was the return of the MEDPlus Program, which allowed overseas Filipinos to seek hospitalization and treatments either in the Philippines overseas with a P50,000 annual limit. — BM, GMA Integrated News