The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) stakeholders expressed their utmost support for the latest developments in the implementation of Republic Act 11223, also known as the Universal Health Care Law (UHC Law).

In a series of virtual meetings hosted by PhilHealth, shareholders shared their willingness to become social health insurance advocates and readiness to support its programs and policies.

The meetings highlighted the important points of the UHC Law and how it targets providing Filipinos with financial risk protection and affordable healthcare services. Some of the key topics were the benefit packages introduced as part of PhilHealth’s Covid in the last 2 years such as testing, home, and facility-based isolation, hospitalization, and vaccine injury compensation.

The creation and expansion of new packages such as additional dialysis sessions, an outpatient mental health package, and continuous full financial risk protection for healthcare workers were also discussed in the meeting.

Philhealth has also introduced and is currently enlisting facilities where members and their dependents can avail primary care benefits including regular consultations, preventive and promotive care, and select diagnostic tests and medicines upon the recommendation of the primary care professional.

In line with this, attendees representing major stakeholder groups were oriented thoroughly on membership and contribution issues, particularly on the continuation of the scheduled premium contribution as mandated by the UHC Law.

PhilHealth President and CEO Dante A. Gierran and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Eli Dino D. Santos encouraged stakeholders to continually support the UHC Law by helping the agency attain its vision of quality and affordable healthcare for all Filipinos.

The meetings were attended by 1,200 participants from different sectors such as employers and business owners, labor and overseas contract worker groups, recruitment and manning agencies, health care professionals and medical societies, and media practitioners have attended the half-day sessions organized by the state health insurer.

Local Chief Executives (LCEs) of partner Local Government Units (LGUs), human resource officers of National Government Agencies (NGAs), and administrators of various organized groups whose members consist of self-learning individuals such as small traders and job order contractors were also present on the event. (Luisa Cabato)