The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) vowed to expand its benefit packages during the recent Senate public hearing on health held on September 10.
PhilHealth President Emmanuel Ledesma, Jr. committed to the Senate panel presided over by Senator Christopher “Bong” Go to increase the state insurer’s benefits packages across various medical cases, including some of the top ten killer diseases affecting Filipinos, such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
According to Ledesma, the increase will take effect before the end of November this year. This timeline was set following Senator Go’s push for better health services for Filipinos in light of the issue of PhilHealth’s excess funds.
“My stand is clear: funds of PhilHealth must be used for health to protect the lives of Filipinos! Use the available funds for health to help Filipinos with their healthcare needs,” Go urged, adding that the budget allocated for health in PhilHealth must be used for healthcare purposes.
Meanwhile, PhilHealth has committed to include dental services as part of its benefit packages, which are scheduled to be rolled out by the end of December 2024.
Notwithstanding these increases, Senator Go hopes to see more expansion of benefit packages.
“Dapat po’y mag-isip pa kayo ng iba’t ibang benefit packages. Ang dami klase ng sakit,” Go said during his radio phone patch interview in Dagupan City.
Senator Go further urged PhilHealth to act on the matter immediately: “Habang sa pag-aaral ninyo, ilang buhay naman po ang nawawala. Ilang kababayan natin ang nagkakasakit na hindi man lang naa-avail ang kanilang services ng PhilHealth.”
Go, who is popularly known as Mr. Malasakit, reminded health officials in the last Senate hearing that the work to help our countrymen remains unfinished.
“Paulit-ulit kong binibigyang-diin na hindi pa tapos ang ating trabaho. Marami pa rin sa ating mga kababayan ang hindi makatanggap ng sapat na benepisyong medikal na nararapat sa kanila,” Go emphasized.
“Para sa akin, ang kapakanan at kalusugan ng Pilipino ay hindi po dapat pinaghihintay. Ulitin ko po, ang pondo ng PhilHealth ay para po sa health gamitin. Imbes na pinapatulog ng PhilHealth ang pondong pangkalusugan na mula naman po sa taumbayan at para po sa taumbayan yan,” Go concluded.
Go then exhorted health officials to show compassion and empathy, and to prioritize people’s interest and welfare over their own.
“Hangga’t may mga pasyenteng nagmamakaawang humihingi ng tulong, hangga’t may buhay na nasa bingit ng kamatayan dahil sa kakulangan ng serbisyo, hindi pa tapos ang ating tungkulin,” Go concluded.
