QUEZON CITY—The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is actively developing a plan to incorporate emergency care services into its benefit packages for members starting in 2025. This initiative is aimed at filling a current gap in the coverage provided to its beneficiaries, which currently includes primary health care and confinement packages but lacks emergency care options.
According to Philippines News Agency, Israel Francis Pargas, PhilHealth’s senior vice president of the Health Finance Policy Sector, highlighted the deficiency in a media forum on Monday. He pointed out the necessity of an emergency care package, which is mandated under the Universal Health Care Law. Pargas expressed optimism that the policy needed to implement this change would be finalized within the year, paving the way for the introduction of these critical services by 2025.
PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. also confirmed that other health care packages are set to be expanded in 2025. These enhancements will include increased coverage for patients suffering from lung, liver, ovary, and prostate cancer, especially those undergoing chemotherapy. Ledesma noted that the focus has been on addressing the most burdensome diseases in the Philippines, such as pneumonia, severe dengue, stroke, chronic kidney disease, and various cancers. As of now, 60 percent of these conditions are covered by the expanded healthcare financial benefits, providing significant relief to affected members.
Pargas also mentioned that members are already benefiting from higher case rates for conditions like pneumonia, asthma, stroke, neonatal sepsis, and hemodialysis, thanks to the ongoing enhancements in PhilHealth’s coverage schemes.