COVID-19 Patient, Nasindak Matapos Umabot ng P1.3M ang Hospital Bill

The coronavirus pandemic is slowly taking over the world, with more than 2 million of positive cases all over the countries. The COVID-19 outbreak is especially tough in developing countries like the Philippines due to our unprepared hospital systems. But aside from the crippling fear of the virus, most patients are more concerned with the skyrocketing costs of the treatment.

This financial burden is more prevalent in the Philippines since we don't have a universal healthcare system. Among those patients who were still reeling from the blow of coronavirus is Juliet Alunan. In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Alunan shared her horrifying experience in battling with COVID-19.

Speaking with ABS-CBN News, Alunan recalled how she struggled to fight with the highly-communicable disease: "Yong difficulty of breathing talaga, that's the time na parang mapupugto 'yong hininga ko kapag uubos na ako ta's sasabay na hirap na akong huminga."

The battle against COVID-19 is tough, but recovering is just the beginning. Once she started getting back up on her feet, Alunan had to face more pressing concerns. Among them is her hospital bill which reached more than P1.3 million in just the two weeks that she was hospitalized.

Fortunately for Alunan, her massive treatment costs were shouldered by Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

"Talagang mahirap kapag wala kang pera sa ganitong sitwasyon, although alam naman natin na mayroon tayo na blessing kasi nakahabol pa ako sa benefits ng Philhealth."

But the question still remains, what will happen to those people who don't have PhilHealth coverage insurance? Will they be buried with mounting debts after the treatment?

Do you also think the government should shoulder the fees of the COVID-19 treatments? We'd love to hear from you, so don't hesitate to share your thoughts with us in the comments section below. For more updates on the latest happenings, feel free to follow us on Facebook.