MANILA, Philippines — An administration lawmaker from the House of Representatives yesterday warned health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and life insurance companies that they would face the full force of the law should they discriminate against Filipinos afflicted with the human immunodeficiency virus-Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV-AIDS). “Insurers can no longer discriminate versus Filipinos with HIV under the new law,” Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said. Section 42 (e) provides: “No person living with HIV shall be denied or deprived of private health insurance under an HMO and private life insurance coverage under a life insurance company on the basis of the person’s HIV status. “We’ve gone over several standard insurance policies issued prior to the passage of the law, and we came across a number (of policies) that categorically excluded HIV-related cases from coverage. A total of 11,427 new HIV cases were diagnosed in the country in 2018, according to the Department of Health’s National HIV & AIDS Registry.

Source: Philippine Star February 26, 2019 23:14 UTC