PhilHealth urged to raise hospital coverage by 20%

PhilHealth spends P14M for new anti-virus system

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – AGRI party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee wants the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to raise by at least 20 percent its hospitalization coverage for members.

In a statement on Sunday, Lee lauded PhilHealth’s recent expansion and increase in member benefit packages, including for high-risk pneumonia as well as ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

But he said PhilHealth should not limit its additional support to specific illnesses, pointing out that “there should be an increase on all the benefits it covers for its members’ hospitalization.”

Lee pointed out that PhilHealth’s case rates were no longer responsive to the hospitalization cost.

“Patients still spend a huge amount for their hospitalization,” he said.

Lee said that he had formally asked PhilHealth officials to consider his proposal for a 20 to 30 percent increase in its hospitalization coverage for all members.

—JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE

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