The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is set to roll out its expanded coverage and benefits for members including an outpatient mental health package and increased hemodialysis sessions.
PhilHealth acting President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel R. Ledesma, Jr. said on Monday, May 1, that among the first to be implemented is the increase in the number of covered outpatient hemodialysis sessions from the current 90 to 156.
"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 (With this expanded coverage for outpatient hemodialysis, we will be able to support the full three sessions per week for a full year. PhilHealth based this increase on the standards of adequate dialysis which requires three 4-hour sessions per week for stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients)," he said.
Ledesma added that the state health insurer is also on track to roll out an outpatient therapeutic care package for children under five years old suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
"We are committed to continuously improve the benefits we offer and make them more responsive, accessible, and convenient to the Filipino people," he 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.
Aside from these, the chief noted that PhilHealth is also strengthening the PhilHealth Konsulta Package, where members can consult with accredited medical providers.
"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 (The PhilHealth Konsulta Package is a primary care benefit that can be used for basic services such as check-up, health screening and assessment, laboratory, x-ray, and medicine)," he explained.
PhilHealth also 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," Ledesma said.