“Kaya ng PhilHealth na araw-arawin ang pagtataas at pagpapalawak ng benepisyo.”
This was what AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee stressed to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) during the House Committee on Health briefing on Feb. 14.
The Bicolano lawmaker had earlier sought to expand PhilHealth healthcare packages and coverage after being the first to expose the complaints of some hospitals that they did not want to accept indigent patients because they were unable to pay their doctors and employees due to the state health insurer’s huge debts, which have ballooned to P27 billion.
“I would like to thank the leadership of PhilHealth, headed by President and CEO Emmanuel Ledesma Jr., for heeding our call as early as September 2023 during our budget briefing here in Congress to increase its benefit packages given the available budget of the agency,” Lee said.
“Masaya tayo na sinimulan nang ipatupad ang ipinaglaban nating 30% increase sa benefit packages ng ahensya. Pero hindi tayo hihinto sa 30% increase lang. Sa pagtaas ng premium ngayong taon, magkakaroon na naman ng dagdag na pondo ang PhilHealth. Dapat tuloy-tuloy pa ang pagtaas sa coverage ninyo,” the solon added.
On the House committee briefing, the state health insurer expressed its commitment to expand the benefits it offers to members and beneficiaries.
“110% agree. I would like to promise this committee, that kami dito at PhilHealth, we will deliver big time…Lahat yan, matutupad namin,” Ledesma remarked.
According to Lee, “Hindi po natin talaga tatantanan ito, babantayan natin itong commitment ng PhilHealth na mapataas at mapalawak pa ang mga benefits para sa mga miyembro, para Winner Tayo Lahat.”
The 30% increase in PhilHealth benefit packages took effect on Feb. 14.
During the same briefing, Ledesma acknowledged Lee’s persistence in calling for the said increase.
“Kami sa PhilHealth, we will be eternally grateful to Honorable Wilbert Lee. Kasi yung pagka-file ng bill niya at saka yung pagka-mention niya na ‘ang dami-dami niyong pera, you have to start thinking of the benefit package increases’, talagang si Honorable Lee is really the one who got the ball rolling. Siya talaga yung spark, siya yung spark and it was really, the way it was mentioned, the way it was highlighted, I think everyone started talking about it. Pero honestly Cong., kayo ang nag-umpisa ng lahat. Maraming, maraming, maraming salamat. Like I said, we will be eternally grateful, me and the whole of PhilHealth, to you and to this whole Body,” Ledesma stated.
The Bicolano lawmaker had earlier sought to expand PhilHealth healthcare packages and coverage after being the first to expose the complaints of some hospitals that they did not want to accept indigent patients because they were unable to pay their doctors and employees due to the state health insurer’s huge debts, which have ballooned to P27 billion.
During the deliberation of the proposed 2024 budget of the Department of Health (DOH) in September last year, Lee revealed that PhilHealth had enormous funds—P466 billion worth of investible funds and P68.4 billion net income. He urged the agency to use these funds to expand healthcare services and pay its hospital debts.
The solon filed House Resolution No. 1407 urging the PhilHealth to update and increase its coverage by 30%, noting that its case rate is no longer responsive to the hospitalization cost of beneficiaries, as this has not been adjusted for over a decade now.
Lee also urged PhilHealth to provide full coverage on cancer treatment, heart bypass surgery, and other major hospital operations, as well as the effective implementation of the No Balance Billing.
“In the case of cancer, hindi pwedeng installment ang gamutan dito. Kung ano ang kailangang gamutan sa cancer, dapat sagot lahat ng PhilHealth ‘yan. Sa coronary artery bypass, P550,000 ang limit sa coverage pero milyon-milyon ang gagastusin. Sa pag-iisip pa lang sa gastos, lalong magkakasakit ang pasyente,” Lee said.
“Kung mayayaman nga, nababankrupt ‘pag nagkasakit, paano pa ang mahihirap? Gawin natin ang lahat para mabawasan ang pangamba ng bawat pamilya sa pagkakasakit. Mayaman man o mahirap, may karapatang mabuhay,” he added.
