The House of Representatives has approved at the committee level the proposed Comprehensive Renal Replacement Therapy Act which provides sets of policies on kidney transplantation, peritoneal dialysis, and hemodialysis, including making these therapies affordable to all seniors and indigents and expands the PhilHealth transplant benefit package.
It was Senior Citizen Party-list Representative Rodolfo Ordanes who moved to include the provision that covers free dialysis for all senior citizens.
The veteran legislator thanked health committee chair Batanes Representative Ciriaco Gato, Jr. for shepherding the approval of the said measure at the committee level.
“In the bill, the PhilHealth transplant package covers both patient and prospective organ donor, so they do not have to worry about the cost of tests and the transplant,” Ordanes pointed out.
“The bill also increases the PhilHealth package rate by covering three peritoneal dialysis exchanges for 365 days and increases hemodialysis treatment coverage to four sessions per week.”
“The bill also increases the PhilHealth package rate by covering three peritoneal dialysis exchanges for 365 days and increases hemodialysis treatment coverage to four sessions per week,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
He said these policies and cost benefits are also meant to “encourage more people to donate their kidneys through legitimate kidney donation processes, protecting the health of donors.”
“The bill also sets a five-year target and mandate so that within that time all national, regional, and provincial facilities shall have their dialysis services and wards, as well as have the needed trained personnel.”
Ordanes said the bill also sets a five-year target and mandate so that within that time all national, regional, and provincial facilities shall have their dialysis services and wards, as well as have the needed trained personnel.
There is required registration of all dialysis patients in the PhilHealth dialysis database prior to availment of peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis.
The National Kidney and Transplant Institute is also given an added function of accreditation of dialysis training centers.
