THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) announced on Tuesday plans to broaden its healthcare coverage by including rare diseases and assistive mobility devices in its benefits packages.
According to Israel Francis Pargas, PhilHealth Senior Vice President for the Health Finance Policy Sector, the expansion will cover 10 rare diseases, including inborn errors of metabolism, lysosomal storage diseases, and maple syrup urine syndrome.
“So far, we have identified cases of these diseases in the country. These can often be diagnosed at a young age,” Pargas shared during an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.
In addition to rare diseases, PhilHealth will also cover assistive mobility devices such as wheelchairs and crutches for individuals who require them based on a doctor’s prescription.
“Our citizens often complain about back pain and mobility issues that sometimes necessitate rehabilitation or, in severe cases, assistive devices like wheelchairs or crutches. If prescribed by a doctor, these will now be covered by PhilHealth,” Pargas added.
PhilHealth aims to finalize the policies for these new healthcare packages by December, with plans to implement them before the year ends.
“We are currently completing the comprehensive policies for each package. We hope to release them this December so implementation can begin before the year is over,” Pargas stated.
Earlier, PhilHealth announced its expanded coverage for dental care services, including oral screenings, dental prophylaxis (cleaning), and fluoride varnish applications.
This move aligns with the agency’s efforts to provide more comprehensive and inclusive healthcare services to Filipinos.