Malacañang announced that the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will now cover emergency procedures and services for patients who do not require hospitalization.
This change comes with the introduction of the Outpatient Emergency Care Benefit (OECB) package, which broadens PhilHealth’s coverage to include outpatient emergency services, offering immediate financial and healthcare support to its members.
During a press briefing on Thursday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro shared that the OECB, which became effective on February 14, covers a range of common emergency conditions, such as dizziness and diarrhea.
“This package is available at all PhilHealth-accredited hospitals, from Level 1 to Level 3, starting February 14, 2025,” Castro said.
Castro emphasized that this move is part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s efforts to improve and expand PhilHealth benefits for Filipinos.
She also noted that, based on the latest PhilHealth advisory, separate accreditation for OECB is no longer required, as it is now automatically included in the accreditation process for all PhilHealth facilities.
“According to PhilHealth Advisory No. 2025-0009, separate accreditation for OECB is no longer necessary, as it is now part of the accreditation review for all PhilHealth facilities,” Castro added.
PhilHealth, established under the National Health Insurance Act (Republic Act 7875), has been providing affordable and sustainable health insurance to Filipinos since 1995.
