Filipino workers who fall ill abroad will no longer be able to reimburse their medical bills under Medicare.
This follows the shift of the 550 million peso (Dh37 million) Medicare fund to Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) managed Medicare for OFWs since 1994, but the programme has been tainted by fraudulent medical claims made by OWWA insiders.
Officials assured the shift to PhilHealth will eliminate such irregularities.
Rosanne Bahia, welfare officer of OWWA in Dubai, said: "The same benefits given to overseas Filipino workers and their beneficiaries under Medicare will be given under PhilHealth.
"It's just a transfer in the management of the fund." The collection of annual premium for Medicare has been suspended starting March 1 "until further notice," she said.
Last year, fraudulent claims of up to 306,000 pesos from Medicare were made by OWWA insiders.
The 45 billion peso PhilHealth, created to provide national health insurance programme to all Filipinos, has an extensive list of accredited hospitals across the Philippines.
"OFWs or their beneficiaries need to follow the same procedures under Medicare to avail of the services under PhilHealth," Bahia added.
An order signed by OWWA administrator Marianito Roque required OFWs registered under Medicare to file their medical claims with PhilHealth starting March 1.
Gulf News
