PhilHealth coverage for dentures, dental services pushed in Senate

A resolution filed in the Senate seeks an inquiry into the possible expansion of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act to include a benefit package for dentures and other dental health services.

Senator Raffy Tulfo's proposed Senate Resolution 1021 urged the Senate Health and Demography Committee to assess the feasibility and the necessity of amending the UHC Law to cover dental health services.

"The current coverage provided by [the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth] under the UHC Act does not explicitly include dental health services and procedures, leaving a significant gap in access to essential dental care," the resolution read.

"The inclusion of dental health services and the provision of dentures in the PhilHealth benefit packages is essential to promote preventive care, addressing oral health issues, and improving the overall health outcomes of Filipinos," the senator wrote.

In stressing the need to expand PhilHealth coverage for dental services, Tulfo said that this is not only a matter of public health, but also of social justice, as it enables individuals to maintain oral function, participate fully in the workforce, and contribute to economic productivity.

"The inability to access affordable dental care, including dentures, disproportionately affects marginalized populations and weighs in on existing disparities in oral health outcomes," Tulfo wrote in the resolution.

"Ensuring access to dental health services is not only a matter of public health but also of economic productivity, as poor dental health maintenance can adversely affect job prospects and career advancement," he added.

Further, the senator cited an article published by Harvard Health Publishing on February 15, 2021, which indicated that a heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular events were two to three times more likely to occur among people with gum disease. — DVM, GMA Integrated News