The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has rolled out significant enhancements to its benefit packages under the National Health Insurance Program.
During the 16th episode of the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas of the Philippine Information Agency, PhilHealth Regional Office III Acting Vice President Henry Almanon highlighted that in 2023, the state firm’s benefits delivery embarked on an aggressive enhancement program.
This initiative was led by PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Ledesma Jr., following directives from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and under the guidance of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa.
“We have worked relentlessly to expand and improve the most critical benefit packages. In our aim to rationalize benefit packages that will truly matter to our citizens, we have focused on certain conditions that are particularly burdensome and could lead to catastrophic spending for Filipino patients and their families,” Almanon stated.
One major enhancement is the expansion of the hemodialysis package, increasing from 90 to 156 sessions, effectively covering the entire treatment required for Chronic Kidney Disease Stage Five patients for the whole year.
“In July [of this year], we increased coverage per session by more than 50 percent from P2,600 to P4,000, raising the annual support value from P405,600 to P624,000 per patient per year,” Almanon said.
He also pointed out that PhilHealth has more than doubled the coverage for hemorrhagic stroke, from P38,000 to P80,000; ischemic stroke, from P28,000 to P76,000; and high-risk pneumonia, from P32,000 to P90,100.
Additionally, mental health services have been expanded to offer both general and specialty care.
Almanon mentioned that an outpatient mental health benefit package is now available, and PhilHealth is actively partnering with more providers to improve accessibility.
Moreover, the corporation has introduced an outpatient therapeutic care benefit package for children under five with severe acute malnutrition.
This year, PhilHealth implemented a 30 percent across-the-board increase in over 9,000 case rate packages, with another increase planned before the year ends.
Almanon emphasized that the Z Benefit Package for breast cancer has seen a 1,300 percent increase, from P100,000 to P1.4 million.
In addition, the package for neonatal sepsis increased from P11,700 to P25,793, and coverage for bronchial asthma increased from P9,000 to P22,488.
PhilHealth has assured that more benefits are on the way, with board-approved plans that include coverage for physical rehabilitation, emergency care, severe dengue, chemotherapy, cataract extraction, and open-heart surgeries for children.
Almanon also shared that further enhancements are expected for the Z Benefit Packages, including those for peritoneal dialysis, kidney transplantation, prostate and cervical cancers, open-heart surgeries for children, and COVID-19-related treatments.
These developments underscore PhilHealth’s ongoing commitment to providing comprehensive health insurance coverage and ensuring affordable, acceptable, available, and accessible healthcare services for all Filipinos. (PIA Region 3-Pampanga)
