PhilHealth hikes dialysis package anew, now P1M a year

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has hiked the hemodialysis benefits for members to P1 million a year after it implemented a second increase in three months.

Under PhilHealth Circular 2024-0023, the agency increased the benefits to P6,350 per session for members and their qualified dependents with chronic kidney disease stage 5 (CKD5).

The coverage was increased to P4,000 per session in July from P2,600 previously.

The circular also indicated that anti-coagulation medications and medicines for anemia, laboratory tests, dialyzers, hemodialysis solutions, and dialysis kits per session should given to KD5 patients.

It also covers the use of dialysis machines, facilities, utilities, and employee wages, noting that all services should be available in all accredited public and private hemodialysis facilities in the country.

PhilHealth said it has also set a P450 limit for professional fees, should patients need additional services such as telemedicine or immediate intervention due to complications incurred during a dialysis session.

“Tinutupad namin ang aming pangako para makatugon ang ating mga benepisyo sa pangangailangan ng mga pasyente na siyang layunin ng Universal Health Care Law,” PhilHealth president Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. said.

“Layunin naming mawala na ang anumang bayarin sa mga serbiyong kailangan nila, dapat maramdaman nila nang lubos ang kanilang benepisyo,” he added.

(We are fulfilling our promise to be able to provide benefits that patients need in line with the Universal Health Care Law… We aim to remove any expenses for services they need. They need to feel the full extent of the benefits.)

Under its mandate, PhilHealth is tasked to administer the National Health Insurance Program which aims to provide health insurance coverage and ensure affordable, acceptable, available, and accessible healthcare services for all citizens of the Philippines.

PhilHealth was reported to have had P89.9 billion in excess funds, of which P20 billion has been transmitted to the national treasury as of July 23, with the rest set to be released on a staggered basis.

To recall, PhilHealth’s Ledesma said the agency would recomment the reduction of members’ contributions to the fund to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, however, said he would prefer the improvement of benefits packages to reduce the out-of-pocket medical expenses of Filipinos. —NB, GMA Integrated News