Patients express gratitude for increased PhilHealth dialysis benefit

PhilHealth members go to the agency’s office in Quezon City. (INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)

MANILA, Philippines — Patients expressed gratitude to the national government for the increased Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) dialysis benefit, which aims to help lessen the costs of chronic kidney disease treatment.

The benefit increased from P2,600 to P4,000 upon the approval of PhilHealth chief executive officer Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. and Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa following a request from House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

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“Okay po sa akin yung increase na maging P4,000 kasi malaking tulong sa ibang bayarin pa dito. Sana ‘dun napupunta sa ibang bayarin namin,” Gerwin Acepcion Castor, a hemodialysis patient, said

(The increase in benefit (P4,000) really helps since we also have other bills to pay.)

“Mas okay po na taasan nila ang benepisyo, from 2,600 to 4,000, para kahit papano makatipid kami sa iba pong gastusin lalo na po sa pagda-dialysis po,” Jamaica Mutia Del Rosario, another patient also said.

(It’s better that they increase the benefit from 2,600 to 4,000 so that we can save on other expenses, especially dialysis.)

“Sa sobrang dami po naming dialysis patients, hindi naman po lahat kayang magbayad ng pang co-pay, injection at pang dialyzer,” she lamented.

(With so many dialysis patients, not everyone can pay for co-pays, injections and dialyzers.)

Other patients, such as  Norman Gajo and Aldrin Aguilar, also thanked the lawmaker for the increase in the benefit amount.

Romualdez, on the other hand, said the move will be able to aid “more than one million Filipinos undergoing dialysis.”

“With the increased assistance, they will no longer have to augment the amount they spend for this procedure, even in private health facilities,” he said.