The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Friday, August 8, said it will begin covering cancer screening tests for its members starting August 14 to help Filipinos detect the disease early and avoid the high costs of late-stage treatment.

The agency said the new benefit package is part of a nationwide push to make early detection for high-risk cancers more accessible, especially for those who often skip screenings due to cost.

PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Edwin Mercado said the state insurer is focused on bringing essential health services directly to communities where people need them the most.

“Ang PhilHealth, linalapit talaga po ang kanilang mga serbisyo. Pababa talaga kung saan kinakailangan ng mga tao. So ang una po dyan talaga ang pivot namin into primary care (PhilHealth is really bringing its services closer to the people. We are going where the need is greatest. Our first move is to pivot into primary care),” he said.

Mercado said the expanded coverage is expected to encourage more members to undergo timely screening for common cancers.

“Sa pamamagitan ng bagong benepisyong ng PhilHealth para sa outpatient cancer screening, mas pinalawak natin ang access ng bawat Pilipino sa maagang pagtuklas ng kanser (Through PhilHealth’s new benefit for outpatient cancer screening, we’re expanding every Filipino’s access to early cancer detection),” he said.

He said the new package will include coverage for early detection tests for breast, lung, liver, and colorectal cancer, which remain among the top causes of death in the country.

Mercado also cited research from the University of the Philippines showing that more young people are now being diagnosed with cancer, which prompted PhilHealth to lower the screening age for women.

“Lumalabas po sa pag-aaral sa UP na talagang pabata na po nang pabata ang nagkakaroon ng cancer. So may narapat namin ibaba ng 40 (UP studies show that cancer is affecting younger people. So we decided to lower it to 40),” he said.

The screening benefit was launched at the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila, one of the accredited screening facilities under PhilHealth’s Konsulta network.

Under the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP), PhilHealth will shoulder the cost of cancer screening tests, including P2,610 for a mammogram, P1,350 for a breast ultrasound, P7,220 for a low-dose chest CT scan, P1,230 for an alpha-fetoprotein test, P960 for a liver ultrasound, and P23,640 for a colonoscopy.

To avail of the benefit, PhilHealth said members must first register at a designated PhilHealth YAKAP Clinic, undergo a medical assessment, and obtain a doctor’s prescription referring them to an accredited cancer screening facility.

Mercado said the agency’s goal is to help patients catch cancer in its earliest stages, when it is most treatable, and spare families the physical, emotional, and financial cost of late-stage care.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is one of the world’s leading causes of death, responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018. Globally, one in six deaths is due to cancer, making it the second leading cause of death.

The WHO said lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach, and liver cancers are the most common types among men, while breast, colorectal, lung, cervical, and thyroid cancers are most common among women.

It added that the cancer burden is growing worldwide and that many health systems in low- and middle-income countries are under-equipped to manage the demand for diagnostics and treatment.

“Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally… exerting tremendous physical, emotional and financial strain on individuals, families, communities and health systems,” the WHO said.