Romualdez directs House panel to review PhilHealth’s charter

House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Photo from House of Representatives)

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Martin Romualdez on Tuesday directed the Committee on Health of the House of Representatives to review the charter of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) in a bid to further expand patients’ benefits and revert the agency’s focus to the well-being of Filipinos.

The head of the 300-member chamber stressed the need for the state insurer to function like a health maintenance organization (HMO) rather than an investment firm.

In a statement, Romualdez said the expanded benefits should include packages for the early detection of cancer, pointing out that health-care coverage should be comprehensive.

The Speaker primarily pushed for an increase in PhilHealth benefits to cover at least half of the costs in private hospital wards and the provision of free examinations for the early detection and prevention of diseases such as cancer.

Critical diagnostic exams such as X-rays for lung cancer, mammography for breast cancer, and the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine could be included as preventive measures in the benefits package.

The House panel has scheduled a hearing on Wednesday where it is expected to collaborate closely with health-care experts, stakeholders, and the public to craft recommendations that would lead to the enhancement of PhilHealth’s services and the overall improvement of the country’s health-care system.

Investment strategies

According to Romualdez, PhilHealth needed to function similarly to an HMO, focusing its resources on safeguarding the health of Filipinos instead of investing these in commercial banknotes and bonds.

“With substantial annual allocations from Congress and regular contributions from private employees, there is no excuse for PhilHealth to scrimp on coverage,” he pointed out, adding that “the effectiveness of the Universal Health Care system depends on our ability to provide for our citizens, ensuring they receive the medical attention and preventive care they deserve.”

Romualdez explained that the review by the committee on health would seek to “address and eliminate any barriers to quality health care, ensuring that PhilHealth’s operations align with the best interests of the people it serves.”

READ: PhilHealth charter review, more benefits for members pushed

He added that the review was also intended to reevaluate PhilHealth’s investment strategies to ensure funds were being used in ways that would directly benefit the health and well-being of Filipinos.

The Speaker said that his directive to the panel showed the government’s commitment to strengthening the health-care system to make it more responsive to citizens’ needs and ensure that every Filipino has access to the care they need and when they need it.