On Monday, June 24, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez expressed his gratitude to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Department of Health (DOH) for approving his request on increased financial assistance for dialysis patients.
Prior to its approval, a meeting was conducted by the PhilHealth Board discussing the improvement of financial coverage for Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT), including hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. However, early detection of such diseases is important as initiatives like these can only extend the lives of end-stage kidney failure patients, not fully cure them.
The benefit package for hemodialysis increased from P2,600 to P4,000 per session.
“With the increased assistance, they will no longer have to augment the amount they spend for this procedure, even in private health facilities,” Romualdez said.
The increased assistance is aligned with President Marcos’ second State of the Nation Address and the Universal Health Care Law, that targets free healthcare for Filipinos in need.
Romualdez hopes that PhilHealth also approves of the free health services that he and other congressmen have been advocating for, such as the free laboratory test and free mammogram.
