PhilHealth unveils COVID-19 vaccine injury compensation package

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Tuesday introduced its compensation package for injuries related to COVID-19 vaccines.

PhilHealth Vice President for Corporate Affairs Dr. Shirley Domingo said the package was created in line with the Vaccination Program Act of 2021, which provides an indemnity fund for those who will experience serious adverse reactions to vaccines. 

“It took effect already because this was already posted in a national daily,” she said in a Health Department briefing.

The compensation package provides a maximum of P100,000 for hospitalization resulting from COVID-19 immunization.

“The claim corresponds to remaining charges on top of PhilHealth benefits and other health benefits provided by private health insurances and Health Management Organizations,” Domingo said.

Meanwhile, a lump sum of P100,000 paid only once per beneficiary is available for those who will suffer permanent disability or death due to COVID-19 vaccines.

The package covers claims from March 3, 2021 until March 2, 2026 or until the completion of the COVID-19 vaccination program, whichever comes earlier.

Those who are eligible to claim the compensation package are the principal or the person who got the vaccine, legal spouses and children (legitimate, legitimated, or acknowledged illegitimate), and legitimate parents.

Beneficiaries must have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the vaccine must not have been granted a certificate of product registration (CPR), and the causality assessment must show that the reaction was vaccine- or vaccine defect-related.

Individuals are ineligible to claim if they got a vaccine with a CPR, if they receive or plan to claim compensation through the COVAX Facility, or if the causality assessment does not show that the reaction was related to the vaccine or a defect of the vaccine.

Domingo said the package also covers the private sector.

The Philippines has vaccinated over 7.5 million individuals as of June 27, 2.5 million of whom have been fully vaccinated. The country aims to jab 50 million to 70 million people this year. — RSJ, GMA News