PhilHealth Spokesman Speaks on Improved Benefits for Members
PHILHEALTH – The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. boosted the benefits for the patients of heart disease to up to Php 500,000.
In the Philippines, millions of Filipinos rely to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation as their health insurer. Truth be told that the premiums to the state entity is lower than the premiums in taking private health insurance policies. Meanwhile, each bear a different set of coverage.
Recently, PhilHealth announced an improvement of its benefit packages for the members. The decision of the officials of the state health insurer came after the state entity was denied of a subsidy for 2025.
The lawmakers have decided to not give the state health insurer a subsidy for this year as they have billions of reserve funds in the bank. Meanwhile, it is still given its budget for its operation.
PhilHealth decided to appeal the decision of the lawmakers regarding its 2025 subsidy to Pres. Bongbong Marcos. However, in his statement, the Chief Executive defended the decision of the lawmakers saying that the state health insurer has enough budget to do what it wants.
The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. assured that its funds are enough to continue providing benefit packages for the members as it expressed understanding on the decision of the lawmakers. Recently, it even boosted its offers for the members.
Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, PhilHealth senior vice president and spokesman Dr. Israel Francis Pargas revealed that they have increased the benefits for the heart patients. The coverage for angioplasty patients that was previously at Php 30,000 is now over Php 500,000.
“Kung kayo po ay magagawan ng procedure na tinatatawag na angioplasty, ayan po ay bayad na natin ng 500-plus thousand”, Pargas said.
Based on the report, the improved benefits for the heart patients also include a cardiac rehabilitation coverage of Php 60,000 and fibrinolysis coverage of over Php 100,000. The transfer using ambulance is also included in the package and the state health insurer pays for it for around around P21,000 effective January 1.
According to PhilHealth, it also removed the “single period of confinement” that lessens the coverage for the second time that a patient is admitted in the hospital for the same reason. The state health insurer also assured that the dialogue with the public and private hospitals to pay its credits continue.
“Kung mako-confine ka po ulit, you would need another angioplasty then that’s another package para sainyo,” Pargas said.
Prior to the developments, Pres. Bongbong Marcos assured the members that the services of PhilHealth won’t be affected by the zero subsidy for the health insurer in 2025.