House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Here's a piece of good news on Valentine's Day. 

Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) officials committed on Wednesday, Feb. 14 to expand the benefits package it offers to Filipinos. 

“We are one we are one with Speaker Martin [Romualdez] when he says we have to aggressively and continuously increase the case packages of PhilHealth across the board,” PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Emmanuel Ledesma, Jr. said during a public hearing of the House Committee on Health, which began a review of PhilHealth's charter. 

Romualdez, leader of 300-plus strong House of Representatives, called for the review in a bid to help expand the state health insurers' patient’s benefits, including the early detection of cancer; and provide a more comprehensive healthcare coverage for Filipino patients. 

The Speaker had personally sought an increase in benefits to cover at least 50 percent of costs in private hospital wards, as well as the provision of free examinations for the early detection of deadly diseases.

Ledesma said that as part of PhiHealth’s mandate, they would have to increase the benefit packages to make things easier for the Filipino people to avail of healthcare services. He said that the less out-of-pocket expenses, the better for the country and the better for the health system of the country. 

PhilHealth Vice President Eli Santos echoed Ledesma’s statement. "With the leadership of our president and [CEO], Emmanuel Ledesma, Jr., PhilHealth, we will be able to fulfill and comply with the directive of our Honorable Speaker Martin Romualdez,” he said. 

Santos says PhilHealth espouses Romualdez’s directive for a review of their charter. “We submit to the directive of our Honorable Speaker and the Committee to focus our resources in safeguarding the health of the populace."

As per Santos, the charter review should also look into PhilHealth's investment strategies to ensure that its funds are utilized in ways that directly benefit the health and well-being of Filipinos. 

Ledesma said that while PhilHealth is increasing by as much as 30 percent the coverage rate of most of its benefit pakcages, effective Feb. 14, additional increases remain warranted. 

“Umpisa pa lang yung 30 percent (The 30 percent increase is just the beginning),” he said. 

For instance, he said PhilHealth’s benefit committe had recently approved the enhancement of the Z Benefits for breast cancer. This would take effect on March 2024. 

Ledesma said that after 13 years without changes, PhilHealth recently enhanced several patient benefit packages, such as the following: High Risk Pneumonia, from P32,000 to P90,100, or a 182 percent increase; Acute Stroke Ischemia from P28,000 to P76,000, a 171 percent increase; and Acute Stroke Hemorrhagic from P30,0000 to P80,000, a 111 percent increase. 

He said the Z Benefits package for colon and rectal cancers were also recently enhanced, allowing patients with metachronous colorectal tumor to re-avail of the package for colon and rectal cancer.