TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Oct. 13 (PIA) -- Veterans who get hospitalized can avail of a reimbursement for a maximum of P1,500 per day of confinement as the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) will pay for a maximum of 45 days per patient per year.

Speaking at the weekly Kapihan sa PIA on veterans affairs updates and the government’s initiatives to help veterans who are among the vulnerable sectors in this pandemic, PVAO Bohol Field Service Extension Officer Mario Blasabas shared the government’s reimbursement of hospital subsidy program.

But based on the program guidelines, Blasabas clarified that the basis of the reimbursement would be the Statement of Accounts and the actual amount indicated in the Official Receipt and paid to the hospital, net of other applicable discounts, and applicable Philhealth benefits for the confined member or dependent.

The veteran or his dependent paying may opt to file direct reimbursement of hospital subsidy, and this shall be paid based on the actual amount indicated in the Official Receipt, he said.

The program also includes reimbursement of medicines used by the confined veteran, whether these are critical cases or not.

For critical cases, the medicines and antibiotics reimbursement can go up to but not beyond P20,000 per confinement and P10,000 per confinement for non-critical case.

In cases of out-patient maintenance medicines for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyper-cholesterolemia, prostate and anti-psychotic drugs, the amount to be reimbursed shall be based on the current Drug Price Reference Index (PDRI).

For anti-rejection drugs of kidney transplant cases, PVAO gives P20,000 per month net of senior citizen and Philhealth discounts.

All of these requests for reimbursement of drugs and medicines of confined veteran or veteran dependent as well as reimbursement of Out Patient Department  maintenance medicines and oral antibiotics pass through the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) Medical Screening Committee for evaluation and validation prior to processing of payment by offices concerned.

In the reimbursement claim, the payor in the Official Receipt who chose to be reimbursed needs to submit proof of relationship with the veteran or veteran dependent and proof of identity, along with the following documents: an Accomplished Reimbursement Form or Request Letter, the Statement of Accounts (with date of admission and discharge) signed by the Chief Accountant of the Hospital, or an emailed Statement of Account sent by the Hospital is acceptable.

The claimant should also submit the Medical Certificate or Discharge Summary (which indicates period of confinement) signed by the Attending Physician or Authorized signatory of the Hospital, Proof of Veteran Status, (like VMMC Medical Card, PVAO Pensioner’s ID, Certification from PVAO; AFP Retiree’s ID; Military Honorable Discharge Paper or Retirement Order).

Other than hospitalization and medicines, the reimbursement program also covers other benefits like cataract surgery for a maximum of P14,000 per eye; orthopedic implants not to exceed P30,000 per implant; and dentures not over P5,000 or P2,500 for upper dentures and P2,500 for lower dentures.

It also covers hernia mesh not to exceed P2,000 per mesh; or hearing aid but not over P30,000 per device; orthopedic braces but not to exceed P6,000  per piece; hemodialysis treatment but not over P400 per treatment; and the cost of epoetin alfa after the 90 treatments covered by Philhealth, where P2,500 per treatment can be reimbursed.

For those having cardiac bypass, PVAO reimburses P200,000, for coronary angiogram, cost not to exceed  P30,000; chemotherapeutic agents at P10,000 per cycle up to a maximum of 6 cycles; angioplasty at P100,000 for single stent and only up to a maximum of P150,000 for  two or more vessel stents; Endoaneurysmectomy for Thoracic and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Up, to a maximum of P40,000 for vascular graft only; pacemaker placement P20,000 for temporary pacemaker placement and P180,000 for permanent pacemaker placement; Cranial CT Scan, not to exceed P4,000 with or without contrast.

Other CT Scan and MRI procedures can be reimbursed based on VMMC rate and approved fees and charges; colonoscopy not over P2,000; extra corporal shock wave litotripsy (ESWL) not to exceed P40,000; and Peritoneal Dialysis A (IPD and CADP) not to exceed P5,000 per week for a maximum of P20,000 per month, rehabilitation services at P350 per treatment session for maximum of three treatment sessions per week; Ventilator rental not to exceed P300 per day; and for kidney transplants, these are not to exceed P200,000 net of Philhealth coverage and senior citizen discount. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)