The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is set to roll out its expanded coverage and benefits for its members.
Among the first to be implemented is the increase in the number of covered outpatient hemodialysis sessions from 90 to 156, PhilHealth acting president and chief executive officer Emmanuel R. Ledesma, Jr. said.
The PhilHealth chief said they are also strengthening the PhilHealth Konsulta Package, where members are assigned to an accredited Konsulta provider whom they can consult for their health care needs.
“Sa pamamagitan ng expanded coverage na ito para sa outpatient hemodialysis, masusuportahan na po natin ang buong tatlong sessions kada linggo sa loob ng isang buong taon. Ibinase po ng PhilHealth ang increase na ito batay sa standards ng adequate dialysis na nangangailangan ng tatlong 4-hour sessions per week para sa stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients,” Ledesma said.
As directed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., Ledesma added that the state health insurer is also on track to roll out new benefits, including an outpatient mental health package as well as an outpatient therapeutic care package for severe acute malnutrition for children under five years old.
“We are committed to continuously improve the benefits we offer and make them more responsive, accessible, and convenient to the Filipino people,” Ledesma said.
“One of these improvements is the introduction of the PhilHealth mobile app along with text message confirmations, so in the very near future your health care will just be a few taps away, he added.
The PhilHealth chief said they are also strengthening the PhilHealth Konsulta Package, where members are assigned to an accredited Konsulta provider whom they can consult for their health care needs.
“Ang PhilHealth Konsulta Package ay primary care benefit na maaaring magamit para sa basic services tulad ng check-up, health screening and assessment, laboratory, x-ray, at gamot,” he explained.
Ledesma reiterated the agency’s commitment to be responsive to the health and medical needs of the Filipinos in the new normal.
He said that PhilHealth plans to rationalize its COVID-19 in-patient packages, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid antigen tests as well as isolation packages.
“We are also planning to rationalize select in-patient case rates, including moderate and high-risk pneumonia and acute ischemic and hemorrhagic, as these are the most common cases availed in recent years according to our records,” he added.
