The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) said spouses and individuals wanting to avail of permanent contraception measures may do so with PhilHealth coverage.
“Kaagapay rin po ng pamilyang Pilipino ang PhilHealth sa family planning. Kasama po sa benepisyo ang coverage para sa surgical contraception tulad ng vasectomy para sa mga lalaki at ligation o transection ng fallopian tubes para sa mga babae,” PhilHealth acting president and chief executive officer Emmanuel R. Ledesma, Jr. said.
Apart from the abovementioned permanent surgical contraception measures, PhilHealth also covers long-term but reversible birth control measures, specifically, Insertion of Intrauterine Device (IUD) and Subdermal Contraceptive Implant.
Ledesma explained that PhilHealth covers both healthcare facility fee and physician fee components for voluntary surgical contraception procedures.
“Kasama po sa healthcare facility fee component ang room and board sa ospital o clinic; mga gamot na gagamitin sa operasyon at habang naka-confine; x-ray, laboratory, at iba pang ancillary procedures and services; at supplies na gagamitin sa mismong operation at during confinement,” he said.
On the other hand, the PhilHealth chief said the physician fee component includes family planning counseling and client assessment, as well as intra-operative services including the provision of anesthesia.
Post-operative consultation within 90 days from day of surgery including dressing changes, local incision care, removal of sutures, and management of complications that do not require hospitalization are also covered.
“Again, we would like to inform everyone that these benefits are automatically given and available at all PhilHealth accredited hospitals and ambulatory surgical clinics and primary care facilities,” Ledesma said.
“These benefits form part of our Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-related benefits, kasama rin po ang outpatient treatment para sa malaria, HIV-AIDS, at tuberculosis,” he added.
Further, apart from the abovementioned permanent surgical contraception measures, PhilHealth also covers long-term but reversible birth control measures, specifically, Insertion of Intrauterine Device (IUD) and Subdermal Contraceptive Implant.
Part of the Philippines’ SDGs is to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all Filipinos at all ages,” with the target of ensuring “universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs” by 2030.
Based on the latest Census of Population and Housing (CPH) of the Philippine Statistics Authority conducted in 2020 and released last year, the Philippines had a total population of 109,035,343 persons.
