This is a continuing story on the disparities in the services received by PLHIVs in different hubs in the Philippines, even if they are required to pay the same amount by PhilHealth.
In the Philippines, the treatment, care and support received by most people living with HIV (PLHIVs) are covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) Outpatient HIV/AIDS Treatment (OHAT) Package. Specifically, to those who are enrolled in PhilHealth, P30,000 is allocated per PLHIV per year, or P7,500 every quarter.
But – as stated in a previous report by Outrage Magazine – PLHIVs from different treatment hubs in the country experience different and at times confusing disparities in the services that they receive, even if they pay the same PhilHealth premium/amount of approximately P2,400 per year.
READING THROUGH
After the release of PhilHealth’s OHAT Package circular in 2010, DOH published Administrative Order No. 2010-0036 – The Aquino Health Agenda: Achieving Universal Health Care for All Filipinos – in December 2010, signed by then Health Secretary Enrique Ona.
It stated that “the Aquino Health Agenda (AHA) is a focused approach to health reform implementation in the context of HSRA (Health Sector Reform Agenda) and F1 (FOURmula One), that all Filipinos especially the poor receive the benefits of health reform.”
Under that guideline is the attainment of health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDG), which include the reduction of HIV/AIDS prevalence.
The administrative order also mentioned that the “DOH shall develop guidelines and protocols to organize the community health team and service delivery network, implement a functional referral system, deliver health service packages, contract with private providers, implement clinical practice guidelines, generate, retain, and use hospital revenues, and establish hospital pricing system to maximize benefits from PhilHealth.”
In the 2010 OHAT Package circular, it stated that the “package shall be based on Department of Health (DOH) guidelines on anti-retroviral therapy among adults and adolescents with human immunodeficiency virus infection. All treatment hubs in accredited facilities are required to follow the guidelines set by the DOH.”
Meanwhile, the Guidelines on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) among Adults and Adolescents with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection – DOH Administrative Order No. 2009-0006 – released in January 2009 stated that as part of monitoring the response to ART treatment, “for patients with good compliance to ART, clinical response is recommended to be used together with CD4 count and viral load determination (whenever feasible) to detect treatment failure.”
And that “treatment hubs through its HIV AIDS Core Team (HACT) shall provide treatment and clinical monitoring of patients under ART.”
ACTUAL COVERAGE
In an interview with Outrage Magazine, PhilHealth’s Medical Specialist III and Millennium Development Goals Benefit Products Team Head Dr. Mary Antoinette Remonte said that “it has come to our attention that some treatment hubs charge for some laboratory tests, even after the release of the OHAT Package circular.”
The 2010 circular only specifically stated that “covered items under this benefit are drugs and medicines, laboratory examinations including Cluster Difference 4 (CD4) level determination test and test for monitoring of anti-retroviral drugs (ARV) toxicity and professional fees of providers.” As such, Remonte said that “some treatment hubs take what was written in the circular literally.”
Remonte, however, said that if a PLHIV needs “viral load, if it’s really needed, they can still charge it on the OHAT package. Any laboratory tests related to ART treatment, they can use the OHAT Package for it.” For Remonte, “even if viral load testing was not written in the first circular, it was already included in the coverage.”
The revised OHAT Package released last June already clearly states that “covered items under this benefit are drugs and medications, laboratory examinations based on the specific treatment guideline including Cluster of Differentiation 4 (CD4) level determination test, viral load (if warranted), and test for monitoring anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs toxicity and professional fees of providers.”
PhilHealth also monitors the disparities among the services offered by treatment hubs, particularly on whether they are putting into effect what were stated in the circulars that were released.
“We are currently reviewing the OHAT Package, the implementation of it in treatment hubs, and the current rates; and if they have questions, we can discuss it with them,” Remonte said.
PLHIVs, meanwhile, are encouraged to contact PhilHealth if they have concerns regarding their PhilHealth membership and coverage.
PROPER MANAGEMENT
According to Dr. Rosanna Ditangco, research chief atThe Research Institute for Tropical-AIDS Research Group (RITM-ARG), a treatment hub located in Alabang, management issues also come to play in the delivery of TCS services to PLHIVs.
For instance, while “the OHAT Package does not cover baseline tests yet”, at RITM-ARG, PLHIVs are able to receive free baseline laboratory tests, such as CBC, chest x-ray, PPD and blood chemistry (i.e. lipid profile, BUN, Creatinine, FBS), and CD4 count.
“Due to good financial management, we can provide these free baseline services to new patients; and once they start treatment, they would be eligible for the OHAT Package and RITM would be able to regain the initial investment,” said Ditangco.
Older PLHIVs, meanwhile, can already use their PhilHealth membership when availing different services and laboratory tests that are needed and related to their antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment.
“Every six months, we provide free CD4 and CBC tests. And yearly, during their anniversary, we provide free CD4, CBC, blood chemistry – depending on what ARV they are taking, and viral load tests. If the doctor suspects treatment failure, a free viral load test will be done anytime, plus HIV drug resistance testing,” Ditangco said.
Ditangco added that “all of these are covered by OHAT. And this has been our system ever since PhilHealth released their first circular.”
RITM-ARG also receives “additional support” from the DOH, which the facility also uses when providing TCS services to PLHIVs.
“Our funding is mostly from our OHAT reimbursement, but every now and then, we receive funding from DOH and we use this to provide free viral load, CD4 or HIV drug resistance testing for other treatment hubs,” Ditangco said.
WAY FORWARD
Interviewed by Outrage Magazine in Davao City during the 1st HIV Summit in southern Philippines, DOH Usec. Vicente Y. Belizario Jr. said that the DOH mandates the “minimum package (to be provided by hubs to PLHIV).” However, “(health care) is decentralized to local government units, (and) there are LGUs that are more innovative.”
“The challenge is to ensure harmonization,” Belizario said, adding that this is what the DOH “will continue to push.”
For Dr. Jose Narciso Sescon of the AIDS Society of the Philippines, “one bright move towards ensuring standardization is that these are being discussed and taken on. This is a healthy step towards a more robust HIV package of services offered to clienteles… if and only if we are all open (government and private service providers) to take on to discuss and accept the real challenges faced by our program.”
“I believe all major government treatment hubs must agree on a standardized treatment package offered to their patients that can be availed under the PhilHealth OHAT Package. Having a national standard on HIV treatment services offered to Filipino PLHIVs will help avoid confusion and unnecessary inconvenience for patients,” said Kevin Kane Li of The AIDS Treatment Action Group (TATAG) Philippines.
Meanwhile, for Pozzie Pinoy of The Project Red Ribbon, “if your hubs are charging you for your laboratory tests in succeeding tests, you should start asking.”
Pozzie Pinoy likens the PhilHealth to having an insurance package, wherein “if you have an HMO, you have packages, and you must know what’s being spent on you.” In the case of PhilHealth, “ask your hub what in your P30,000 is being spent. You paid for it, so it should be used for you. Learn to ask. Don’t turn a blind eye just to save face. This can be solved by asking.” – WITH INTERVIEWS BY MDCTAN
PhilHealth may be reached at (+63 2) 441 7444 or (+63 2) 441 7442, or email actioncenter@philhealth.gov.ph.
Outrage Magazine is one with the PLHIV community in demanding for a uniform implementation of TCS services, particularly as mandated by PhilHealth.
