Tacloban City—The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has observed a substantial increase in claims for hemodialysis treatments in Eastern Visayas, reaching PHP272.8 million in the first half of 2024, up from PHP191.04 million during the same period last year.
According to Philippines News Agency, Rosario Suyom, Chief of the Healthcare Delivery Management Division at PhilHealth-Eastern Visayas, noted that hemodialysis sessions continue to be the most frequent procedure reimbursed by the agency. The number of claims for these sessions escalated to 78,791 this year, significantly higher than the 54,584 claims filed in the first half of 2023. “We must consider that the number of sessions allowed has increased to 156 days this year. It affects the statistical rank of the procedure,” Suyom explained during the ‘Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas’ press briefing on Tuesday.
The rise in claims is also attributed to an increase in the prevalence of chronic kidney failure and the expansion of dialysis centers beyond Tacloban City. Suyom emphasized the role of this data in informing public health strategies, mentioning ongoing collaborations with the Department of Health to enhance kidney health awareness and reduce the incidence and severity of kidney diseases.
PhilHealth recently augmented its support for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 5, increasing the covered sessions from 90 to 156 annually. Under PhilHealth Circular 2023-009, each session is subsidized at PHP2,600, totaling up to PHP405,600 per patient per year. Patients eligible for this enhanced coverage must be recommended for hemodialysis by a licensed doctor and registered in PhilHealth’s dialysis database, with their session usage monitored by the administering facility.
Hemodialysis, vital for filtering waste and managing fluid levels in the blood—a function normally carried out by healthy kidneys—also helps regulate blood pressure and maintain essential minerals like potassium, sodium, and calcium within the body.