Metro Manila, Philippines — State health insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is studying a 30% hike in benefit packages by the year-end.
“We are in the process of studying another round of 30% [increase] almost across the board,” PhilHealth President and CEO Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. told a House budget hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 4.
“I can commit to this honorable committee that it will happen on or before Christmas day,” Ledesma said.
PhilHealth carried out on Feb. 14 an inflation adjustment factor of 30% in case rates, according to Circular No. 2024-0001.
Agri party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee, however, found the statement lacking and urged PhilHealth to expand its coverage, such as on expensive diagnostic scans.
“Ito pong lahat ng nabanggit ko, kapag wala pa rin ito before our plenary deliberations, I am very sorry I will be left with no choice but to defer the budget of the DOH (Department of Health) for year 2025 until such time na magawa ito,” Lee said.
[Translation: If those procedures are still not included before our plenary deliberations, I am very sorry I will be left with no choice but to defer the budget of the DOH for the year 2025 until such time you implement this.]
Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said there will be a review of PhilHealth packages to include more procedures.
