PhilHealth: Improvements in benefits justify premium hike

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NUMEROUS improvements in member benefits are enough justification for the increase in premium rate of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), according to Rey Baleña, PhilHealth vice president for corporate affairs group.

Baleña was referring to recent improvements in case rates of PhilHealth’s benefit packages.

“We can say that the premium rate increase is worth it… The amount of membership contribution is more than justified,” he said in a televised public briefing on Friday.

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“In reality, we will need an even higher budget for us to be able to deliver these improved benefits for our members,” he added.

Last January, PhilHealth started implementing the 5 percent premium rate hike for the year 2024, which is expected to provide the state-run health insurer with around P35 billion in additional income.

Last month, PhilHealth said its 30 percent increase in most of its case rate packages have begun to take effect.

PhilHealth said it is set to rationalize case rates for bronchial asthma and bacterial sepsis in newborns as well as COVID-19 in-patient benefits.

Also to be enhanced are guidelines for out-patient therapeutic care benefits for severe acute malnutrition in children aged 5 years old and younger, and services for physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Another benefit to look forward to this year is the enhancement of peritoneal dialysis under the Z Benefits Package of PhilHealth.

PhilHealth’s Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (KONSULTA) package will also be further expanded to include treatment for TB, animal bite, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. This is in addition to expanding the coverage for medicines to 53 from 21 under its Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (GAMOT) package.

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