PhilHealth mulls hiking free dialysis sessions from 90 to 133 a year
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is looking into expanding its coverage of dialysis sessions up to 133 sessions a year, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said PhilHealth President Dante Gierran will ask board approval to expand the coverage of dialysis sessions from 90 to 133 sessions.
The PhilHealth board will meet on Wednesday on this issue, Roque added.
“Kukuha siya (Gierran) ng board approval para maparami pa yung dialysis ng more than 90. So more or less po, ang maibibigay na libreng dialysis, kung maaprubahan ng board ay 133 per year,” he said in a briefing.
(He will get board approval to increase the free dialysis sessions to more than 90. So more or less, free sessions to be given will more or less be 133 per year.)
Aside from that, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office will give P10,000 cash assistance to those undergoing dialysis sessions, Roque said.
In 2015, PhilHealth issued Circular No. 022 expanding dialysis coverage from 45 to 90 free sessions a year.
The Coalition for People’s Right to Health (CPRH) earlier bared that PhilHealth members who needed dialysis were being denied service upon reaching the yearly limit despite being exempted from this rule under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.
This means that patients had to pay for their own dialysis sessions after the 90th session in a single year.
This prompted Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate to call for PhilHealth to stay true to its word and ensure that dialysis patients will receive treatment even if they are past the yearly limit of 90 sessions per year.
