AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee (Rep. Lee's office)

AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee is seeking the inclusion of diagnostic tests such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), and Computed Tomography (CT) scan in the urgent care packages of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

“Yung kayang ibigay, dapat ibigay na agad (Those that be can given, should be given immediately),” he said,

During a recent hearing of the House Committee on Health, Lee stressed that these modern technologies have long been used to detect cancer, and yet it is still not automatically covered by PhilHealth.

“Napakahalaga na may access dito ang ating mga kababayan (It is very important that our countrymen have access to it),” he continued.

Currently, PhilHealth only covers MRI, CT, and PET scans if these are undertaken as inpatient services. 

These tests are also included in the Department of Health’s (DOH) Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients (MAIP) program.

“Paano kung hindi naka-confine pero kailangang gawin ang ganitong procedure? Kailangan pang magpa-admit muna? Paano kung walang malapitan o mapagkunan ng MAIP? Di biro ang gagastusin sa mga ito. Bago pa makaipon, baka malala na ang sakit o kaya naman ay mabaon sa utang para lang maipagawa ang procedure na ito,” said Lee.

(What if you are not yet confined but need to have this procedure done? So you need to get admitted first? What if there is no MAIP nearby? Spending money on them is no joke. Before you can save up, the disease may be severe or you may end up in debt just to have this procedure done.)

The lawmaker says the state health insurer has enough funds to cover the inclusion of these diagnostic tests.

In September last year, he revealed that PhilHealth had P466 billion in investible funds aside from its P68.4-billion net income and P100-billion government subsidy.

“Bilang health insurance provider, dapat gamitin, ubusin ito kung kinakailangan, sa pagpapalawak ng mga benepisyo nito, kasama na ang full coverage sa mabibigat na karamdaman at diagnostic tests,” he said of the excess funds.

(As a health insurance provider, these funds should be used, consumed if necessary, in the expansion of its benefits, including full coverage of serious illnesses and diagnostic tests.)

“Huwag nating patagalin at ipagkait ang serbisyo, lalo na sa nangangailangan (Let's not delay and deny service, especially to those in need),” he emphasized.

Lee recently also advocated for the full coverage of dialysis, cancer treatment, heart bypass surgery, and other diagnostic tests and preventive measures. He also pushed for the effective implementation of the “No Balance Billing” with the intent of freeing the public from out-of-pocket medical expenses.

“The government should be proactive in providing the Filipinos what they deserve. We deserve better healthcare services, so we should demand better,” he said.