June 29 ------ Kidney disease patients may soon get more financial support after the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) Board approved an increase of its package rate for hemodialysis to P4,000 per session from the current P2,600. In a press release, the Department of Health (DOH) said a detailed PhilHealth circular and operationalization would be crafted "to ensure that the improved benefit can already be claimed."
"The PhilHealth Board, upon recommendation of Benefits Committee Chairperson OIC Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo, approved this increase from the current PHP 2,600 per session. The Board also gave explicit approval for catheter insertion and blood transfusion payments that may be claimed separate from the main case rate for admission," the DOH said. Health Secretary Ted Herbosa acknowledged the importance of treating and preventing kidney diseases, along with diabetes and hypertension which could lead to chronic kidney diseases. "The threat of kidney disease requires support not just in end-stage treatment, but in its prevention and early detection as well. These initiatives bring each Filipino closer to accessing the highest quality healthcare at the lowest cost," he said.
PhilHealth is eyeing improvements to financial coverage for primary care through "another iteration of the regular nationwide Konsulta package," while the DOH will develop its "PuroKalusugan, with the goal to enhance healthcare at the community level". Last month, the state insurance company brought up the possibility of increasing its benefit-packages for dialysis and kidney transplants.
An official of specialty hospital National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) welcomed the development, as she expressed alarm on the observed 40 percent increase in new dialysis patients in a span of a year. Dr. Romina Danguilan, NKTI's Deputy Executive Director for Medical Services, said the specialty center caters to a yearly estimate of 35,000 out-patients and 27,000 in-patients. Eighty percent of them have kidney diseases.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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