The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has included a vaccine against childhood tuberculosis under its Newborn Care Package (NCP) effective January 1 hospital admissions.

The inclusion of the bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine in the package was approved by the Philhealth Board of Directors as stipulated in its Resolution No. 1060, series of 2007.

Effective BCG vaccine provides protection against the more severe types of tuberculosis such as military TB and TB meningitis which are most common in young children.

The enhanced NCP which now also includes resuscitation of the newborn, covers all eligible newborn-dependents delivered in accredited health care facilities including non-hospital maternity health care providers, said Acting PhilHealth President and CEO Lorna O. Fajardo in a press release posted in the Philhealth website.

The amount of the NCP package remains at P1,000.00.

"We are ensuring that newborn-dependents of members will be able to avail themselves of this benefit regardless of the eligibility of the mother to claim for the Maternity Care Package," Fajardo added in the online news.

She also called on accredited health care providers to provide all the required services under the NCP, adding that PhilHealth will not pay for the NCP benefits if the complete services included in the package are not given the newborn.

The NBS is ideally performed after 24 hours of life but not later than three (3) days from complete delivery of the newborn to identify at least five (5) diseases that a newborn may be predisposed to, and therefore aid in preventing its onset later in life. Claims for NCP within the said period will be compensated.

"We hope that through this new addition into the NCP, PhilHealth is able to contribute its share in preventing child mortality through the compensability of the BCG vaccine," she said.

To ensure availment of the NBS under the NCP, health care facilities must have Newborn Screening Facility (NSF) certificates issued by the Department of Health (DOH) or by the Newborn Screening Reference Center (NSRC) starting January 1, 2008, otherwise, claims will not be compensated. Facilities that are not NSF-certified may refer patients for NBS to other facilities with NSF certification. In these cases, reimbursement directly to the member is allowed by Philhhalth provided that the original official receipt issued by the certified facility is attached to the claim documents. To date, out of the 1,600 PhilHealth-accredited health care facilities, 600 are NSF-certified by the DOH.

To avail of the package, members must submit a duly accomplished PhilHealth Claim Form 1, a clear copy of the Member Data Record (MDR) and the proof of premium payment. (PIA/Philhealth)