Recto pushes for Philhealth coverage of TB, all senior citizens
Senate Pro Tempore Ralph Recto. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—If passed, two bills by Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto would see the Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth) expand its coverage to include treatment of tuberculosis and make it mandatory to cover all senior citizens.
Recto’s twin measures were discussed for the first time on Tuesday at the Senate health and demography committee chaired by Sen. Teofisto Guingona II but PhilHealth president Alex Padilla raised concerns over the implication of the bills.
Padilla was mainly concerned on the financial capacity to cover the costs over time for the proposal that his agency cover all senior citizens and to cover as well the full treatment of tuberculosis.
Recto pushed for the mandatory coverage to all senior citizens, saying senior citizens should not be asked to produce health insurance cards anymore in hospitals because they were supposedly all covered by PhilHealth. This would require a funding of P14.56 billion which he said could be taken from the agency’s National Health Insurance Fund.
He reminded that PhilHealth has P117 billion in reserves and has been allotted billions in pesos in its budget by Congress. It also increased by 100 percent the premium of the government health insurance.
“Because of your many resources, can’t you provide free health insurance for all senior citizens…They have contributed to the country so much in their young life,” Recto said.
Padilla told Recto that PhilHealth has provided many benefits to senior citizens and that indigent seniors automatically are subsidized by the government.
To reporters later, Padilla said it would be difficult to have a legislation requiring mandatory coverage to all senior citizens because their number would further grow in 20 years time.
“We know the intention of our senators and we respect and honor the laws to be legislated but the actuarial estimates and studies might change and that means you give more benefits to seniors this might reduce the benefits of others,” he said.
Recto also pushed for his measure that would include TB treatment in Philhealth coverage.
He said TB has now ranked number 6 in mortality and morbidity cases in the country.
Padilla said that PhilHealth was currently paying P4,000 for TB treatment of its members. But he said their concern was providing and covering all TB ailments such as those multi-drug resistance TB as this may affect the viabilty of its funds.
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