PhilHealth expands benefits to cover rare diseases, mobility devices

PhilHealth customer assistance notice at the Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City. —Inquirer photo/Lyn Rillon

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will expand its healthcare packages before the end of the year to cover rare diseases and mobility devices, including wheelchairs.

Ten rare genetic diseases, which affect around 443,000 Filipinos, will be covered under PhilHealth’s “Z-Benefits Package for Rare Diseases,” with case rates ranging from P99,000 to P739,000, it said in a news statement.

These are Maple Syrup Urine Disease, Methylmalonic Acidemia/Propionic Acidemia, Galactosemia, Phenylketonuria, Gaucher Disease, Pompe Disease, Fabry Disease, MPS II (Hunter Syndrome), MPS IV (Morquio Syndrome), and Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

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“This comprehensive and sustainable package aims to bridge gaps in healthcare financing, reduce the financial burden on families, and improve care and health outcomes for rare disease patients,” PhilHealth added.

The 10 diseases were previously covered under its inpatient case rate. With their inclusion in the Z Benefits, the packages for these were increased by more than 1,000 percent from their old rates.

Rehabilitation services and various types of assistive mobility devices like wheelchairs, walkers, rollators, quad canes, and crutch triceps will also be covered by PhilHealth under its outpatient Konsulta package.

Israel Francis Pargas, PhilHealth senior vice president for the health finance policy sector, said they were hoping to finalize the policies and issue the guidelines for these new benefit packages before the year-end.