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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Solon bats for unlimited PhilHealth coverage for cancer, heart surgeries 

Solon bats for unlimited PhilHealth coverage for cancer, heart surgeries 

Published Feb 6, 2024 07:51 am

At A Glance

  • The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) should offer unlimited coverage for costly medical procedures, such as cancer treatment and heart bypass surgery, says AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee.

IMG-ecfeb445826bcd036c59fff135224c69-V.jpgAGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee (Rep. Lee's Office)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) should offer unlimited coverage for costly medical procedures, such as cancer treatment and heart bypass surgery. 

Thus, said AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee, the solon who successfully campaigned for the 30 percent increase on the state insurer's benefits. 

“Tinututukan ko po ito, hindi tayo hihinto sa 30 percent increase sa benefits na ipinaglaban natin (I'm focusing on this, we will not stop with the 30 percent increase in benefits that we fought fot)," Lee vowed. 

He noted that while the treatment for such illnesses can cost millions, PhilHealth can only offers 150,000 to P600,000 for the entire course of treatment. 

“In the case of cancer, alam naman natin na ang gamutan diyan, hindi pwedeng installment. Gusto natin gawin itong unlimited. Dapat full coverage; kung ano ang kailangang gamutan sa cancer, kailangan sagot lahat ng PhilHealth ‘yan,” the neophyte solon said. 

(We known this entails long and costly treatment, and not by installment. We want to make the coverage unlimited. It must be full coverage, PhilHealth must shoulder the entire cost of the cancer treatment.) 

“Yung sa heart bypass surgery, coronary artery bypass, P550,000 ang limit sa coverage pero milyon-milyon ang gagastusin mo diyan,” Lee said. 

(As for heart bypass surgery, coronary artery bypass, the coverage limit is P550.000, but you will need to spend millions.) 

"Because there are so many cases, na kahit doble ang itaas ng coverage, kakapusin pa rin sa pambayad ang mga miyembro (even if we double the coverage, the members will still find it a struggle to pay).” 

The agency is set to implement the 30 percent increase on most of its benefit packages on Feb. 14. 

Lee had earlier sought to expand PhilHealth healthcare packages and coverage after he received complaints that some hospitals did not want to accept indigent patients due to the state health insurer’s huge debts.

 

Related Tags

Wilbert T. Lee PhilHealth cancer patients
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