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

Was it just fake news all along? 

AGRI Party-list Rep. Manoy Wilbert T. Lee slammed the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) over its alleged failure to implement PhilHealth’s Outpatient Emergency Care Benefit (OECB) package. 

The OECB package, which took effect in January this year under PhilHealth Circular No. 2024-0033, covers all outpatient services and commodities provided in PhilHealth-accredited healthcare facilities rendered at the Emergency Department and its extension facilities.

These include services given before a patient’s arrival, during transport to a health facility, diagnostic tests such as X-ray, MRI, CT Scan and other essential emergency services and medicines. 

According to the PhilHealth Circular, this much-needed benefit package do not require hospital admission or confinement.

“Ayaw natin ng fake news lalo na sa serbisyong pangkalusugan. Hindi natin dapat paasahin sa mga benepisyo ang ating mga kababayan na matagal nang pinagkaitan ng serbisyo na deserve at karapatan nilang matanggap lalo na kung kaya namang ibigay ng PhilHealth sa bilyon-bilyong pondo na meron sila,” Lee said in a recent statement.

(We don't like fake news especially when it comes to healthcare. We shouldn't deprive our countrymen of the services they deserve and have a right to receive especially if PhilHealth is capable of giving it through the billions of funds they have.)

The Bicolano revealed that he wrote a letter to PhilHealth Acting President and Officer-in-Charge Dr. Edwin Mercado on March 23 to seek clarification on the matter. 

In the said letter, Lee cited two billing statements from two hospitals where PhilHealth coverage for the emergency room expenses of two different patients was zero, reflecting that the benefit package has not been honored or implemented. 

“It is regrettable and unacceptable that despite the official announcement of PhilHealth, this ‘outpatient emergency care service’ is neither operational nor available to PhilHealth members in several, if not all hospital across the country,” the solon pointed out. 

“Time is of the essence on this matter. As time progresses without addressing this issue, every PhilHealth member rushed to every emergency room is burdened with the additional cost to pay,” he added. 

AGRI Party-list, which is running for reelection in the 2025 National and Local elections, underscored the importance of addressing this issue the soonest possible time. 

It urged PhilHealth to update on the status of the outpatient emergency care benefit package and ensure its swift and effective implementation.

“It is imperative that the PhilHealth management takes immediate responsibility and addresses this critical issue without further delay," the party-list said.

“Filipinos deserve better, so we must demand better services," it added.

AGRI Party-list, under Lee, was the first to expose that PhilHealth has billions of available funds in September 2023. Lee’s persistent efforts resulted to the implementation of PhilHealth’s increased benefits and free medical services.