SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Monday thanked Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. and Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa for approving his request for increased financial assistance for dialysis patients.
The leader of the 300-plus-strong House of Representatives said the increase from P2,600 to P4,000 “will be a big help to the more than one million Filipinos undergoing dialysis.”
He said the adjustment easier the financial burden on patients and their families.
“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.
He added that the adjustment supports the goal of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. and the Universal Health Care Law to provide poor Filipinos with free health care.
However, Speaker Romualdez pointed out that dialysis is not a cure and only extends the life of a person with kidney issues and their underlying causes.
“We appeal to concerned patients to have these basic ailments checked and treated, like diabetes and hypertension, before they lead to kidney problems that require dialysis. They can of course avail themselves of Philhealth benefit packages for these illnesses,” he stressed.
The House leader expressed the hope that Philhealth would likewise approve the other free health services he and other congressmen have been advocating, like free laboratory test and free mammogram.
