PhilHealth: Members’ benefits won’t be affected by fund transfer

This refers to the Philippine Daily Inquirer editorial published on July 17, 2024. (“Immoral fund transfer,” 7/17/24)

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. would like to clarify that the portion of the fund to be transferred to the Bureau of Treasury in compliance to General Appropriations Act of 2024 and Department of Finance Circular No. 003-2024 are those from the unused portion of the national government subsidy released to PhilHealth through the GAA for indirect contributors. No funds from the contributions of paying members (direct contributors) are included.

PhilHealth assures its members—both the direct and indirect contributors—that their benefits will not be affected and will even continue to be expanded and enhanced following the PhilHealth Board’s approved benefit plan which started in 2023.

Some of the benefit enhancements already implemented include the expansion and institutionalization of hemodialysis package from 90 to 156 sessions and increasing financial coverage from P2,600 to P4,000 per session which translates to a maximum coverage of P624,000 per patient per year, and rationalization of packages for high-burden conditions such as breast cancer from P100,000 to P1.4 million (under our Z Benefits), hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke, high risk pneumonia, bronchial asthma, and neonatal sepsis. PhilHealth also increased by 30 percent the rest of the 9,000+ case rate packages starting Feb. 14 of this year. More enhancements in the pipeline include open heart surgeries for children, two more cancer packages, COVID-19 packages, among others.

May this clarification be given equal space in the spirit of balanced reporting.

REY T. BALEÑA,

acting vice president

corporate affairs group

Philippine Health Insurance Corp.