THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) yesterday announced the approval of three health benefit packages for its members and improvement of three others.
PhilHealth said the newly-approved packages are for 10 rare diseases, preventive oral health services, and assistive mobility devices for priority conditions affecting those in need of physical rehabilitation.
The 10 new packages for rare diseases are for maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), methylmalonic acidemia, propionic acidemia, galactosemia, phenylketonuria, Gaucher Disease, Pompe Disease, Fabry Disease, Hunter and Morquio syndromes, and osteogenesis Imperfecta.
PhilHealth president Emmanuel Ledesma said guidelines for the enhanced benefits will be subject of corresponding PhilHealth circulars.
He said the new packages and improvements are in keeping with the state insurer’s commitment “to improve financial coverage and to further lower out-of-pocket of patients seeking treatment in health facilities nationwide.”
Also approved by PhilHealth was a package for preventive oral health services under the Konsulta package. This will cover services such as mouth examination/oral screening, dental prophylaxis or cleaning, fluoride varnish application, fissure sealants, Class V procedures, emergency tooth extractions, and dental consultations.
PhilHealth will establish coverage for rehabilitation services, including assessment done by a physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech pathologist or psychologist, therapy sessions, laboratory, diagnostic tests and imaging; and assistive devices for mobility impairment such as wheelchairs, walkers, orthopedic canes, white canes, and crutches.
The state health insurer also approved enhancements of its benefit packages for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or heart attacks, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplants.
It said support for patients with chronic kidney disease, under the Z Benefits for Kidney Transplantation, will be raised to over P2 million from P600,000 or a percentage rate increase of up to 258 percent.
PhilHealth is also strengthening its support to dialysis patients by enhancing the Z Benefit Package for peritoneal dialysis for both adult and pediatric patients, to P585,500 from P29,200 for adults, and P1,522,000 from P16,800 for children.
PhilHealth said heart attack packages to be improved are percutaneous coronary intervention (to P524,000 from P30,300), fibrinolysis (to P133,500 from P30,290), emergency medical services with coordinated interfacility transfer (to P21,900 from P5,200), and cardiac rehabilitation at P66,140.
The health benefits creation and enhancements come weeks after the PhilHealth – Benefits Committee endorsed such proposals to the PhilHealth Board of Directors.
The proposed benefit packages were approved by the board during its meeting last November 29.
