Legal basis and governing rules
- The fee schedule is anchored on Administrative Order No. 85-A series 1990, titled “Revised Rules and Regulations Governing Accreditation of Medical Clinics and the Conduct of Medical Examination for Overseas Workers and Seafarers.”
- The circular specifically enjoins compliance with the fee schedule “as provided for” under Section II of Administrative Order No. 85-A series 1990.
- The circular ties prohibited pricing conduct to enforcement under Section 25.1 of the rules and regulations under Administrative Order No. 85-A series 1990.
- The fee schedule is treated as a rule that clinics and hospitals use when charging overseas workers and seafarers, including agencies.
Purpose and quality assurance requirement
- Accredited medical clinics and hospitals must follow the prescribed fee schedule to ensure proper compliance with the medical examination rules.
- The fee schedule must be used in charging overseas workers and seafarers and in dealing with the relevant agency of company.
- Fees must be maintained at a level that ensures quality of medical examinations by preventing rates from dropping below the prescribed schedule.
Fee schedule: basic examination
- The basic pre-employment medical examination costs PHP 250.00.
- The basic examination includes the following examinations:
- Complete physical examination.
- Chest X-ray using plates not smaller than 11" x 14".
- Complete blood count (CBC) including hemoglobin determination.
- Blood typing (ABO).
- Urinalysis.
- Stool examination.
- Psychometric evaluation.
- Medical clinics and hospitals must charge the basic fee for the listed components as part of the pre-employment medical examination.
Fees: seafarer additional required tests
- For seafarers, clinics and hospitals must add specific required tests on top of the basic examinations.
- Clinics and hospitals must include Ishihara tests for color perception and audiometry among the additional requirements for specific personnel.
- Additional tests for seafarers must be charged using separate rates in addition to the basic examination rates.
Special examinations and separate charges
- Clinics and hospitals must charge the following special examinations separately from the basic medical examination:
- Ishirara Test — PHP 25.00
- Audiogram — PHP 80.00
- E C G — PHP 120.00
- F B S — PHP 70.00
- Other Laboratory Test — the following rates apply:
- V D R L — PHP 80.00
- Pregnancy Test (urine) — PHP 60.00
- Uric Acid — PHP 70.00
- Erythocyte Sedimentation — PHP 30.00
- Malarial Smear — PHP 40.00
- Sputum Examination for AFB — PHP 60.00
- Gram Stain — PHP 40.00
- Smear — the following rates apply:
- Paps Smear (cytology) — PHP 100.00
- Urethal (Gram Stain) — PHP 40.00
- HIV/AIDS Test — PHP 400.00
- HEPA-B Surface Antigan Test — PHP 100.00
- Dental Treatment (Optional) — the following rates apply:
- Dental Extraction — PHP 60.00
- Dental Filling:
- Temporary Filling — PHP 60.00
- Permanent Filling:
- Amalgam — PHP 70.00
- Adaptic — PHP 90.00
Minimum pricing and prohibited rebates
- Clinics and hospitals must ensure that medical examination rates should not go lower than the prescribed schedule.
- Giving of rebates or charging lower than the prescribed rates is treated as a violation under Section 25.1 of the applicable rules and regulations.
- Violations under Section 25.1 must be dealt with severely.
Practical compliance instruction
- Medical clinics and hospitals are enjoined to follow the schedule of fees strictly when conducting medical examinations for overseas workers and seafarers.
- Clinics and hospitals must apply the schedule of fees when charging overseas workers seafarers and when dealing with the agency of company.
- The fee schedule’s compliance is mandatory at the pricing level set out for the basic pre-employment medical examination and the separately charged special examinations.
- The circular provides guidance that the fee schedule must be followed and that it takes effect immediately.