The House of Representatives has adopted House Resolution 1818 that urges the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to include psoriasis in the list of diseases and ailments covered by its health care program.
The resolution aims to make psoriasis treatment available, especially to the marginalized sector, and lessen the cases in the country.
The resolution, principally authored by Rep. Scott Davies Lanete M.D., cited psoriasis as one of the most baffling and persistent skin diseases.
Psoriasis is characterized by skin cells that multiply 10 times faster than normal as underlying cells reach the skin’s surface and die, and their sheer volume causes raised, red plaques covered with white scales.
Moreover, psoriatic arthritis, which leads to pain and swelling in the joints, can be associated with psoriasis evidenced by the fact that 30% of people afflicted with psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis.
The range of PhilHealth-covered diseases and ailments includes psoriatic arthritis but does not include cases of psoriasis, thus depriving 2% of Filipinos afflicted with psoriasis from medical health insurance benefits they badly need.
The resolution cited that the big percentage of those who are not able to avail of these benefits belong to the poor and the marginalized sector.
The resolution further stated the critical need to include cases of psoriasis among those covered by the PhilHealth medical health insurance program rather than the more specific illness of psoriatic arthritis in order to widen the access of the people to quality health care, especially the less privileged.