Home/community isolation still free for people who catch Covid: NHSO
Treatment of Covid-19 patients in home or community isolation is still covered under the National Health Security scheme, the National Health Security Office (NHSO) said on Saturday.
The NHSO made the clarification after adjusting its funding for Covid treatment on July 4, following the reclassification of the disease as endemic on July 1. Under the new funding system, people in home or community isolation will be regarded as outpatients rather than Covid-19 patients.
As for inpatients, responsibility for funding special rooms and protective equipment for Covid treatment will pass from the NHSO to the DRG (Diagnostic Related Groups) system.
NHSO secretary-general Jadet Thammathat-Aree explained that after the new funding scheme was announced, some people had mistakenly thought the home and community isolation systems were cancelled or would be no longer be covered under the National Health Security scheme.
“NHSO is still paying compensation to public health units for providing drugs, tests and services to people who contract Covid-19, whether as outpatients in home/community isolation or as inpatients,” said Jadet.
“The new payment system was implemented to help the NHSO manage its budget from government more efficiently now that the disease is regarded as endemic,” he added.