Stronger primary, preventive care for Pinoys sought

PhilHealth acting president and CEO Dr. Beverly Ho said roughly P100 billion out of about P400 billion in total disbursements accounts for dialysis.

Businessworld / File

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bong Go has urged the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to further strengthen primary and preventive health care while ensuring adequate benefits for Filipinos undergoing dialysis and other life-sustaining treatments following PhilHealth’s disclosure that around 25 percent of its payouts goes to dialysis.

PhilHealth acting president and CEO Dr. Beverly Ho said roughly P100 billion out of about P400 billion in total disbursements accounts for dialysis.

She stressed that earlier management of hypertension and diabetes could help prevent kidney disease from progressing to the point that patients require regular dialysis. 

Go said the figures underscore the need to invest more aggressively in keeping Filipinos healthy before illnesses become severe and more difficult to treat. 

“Let us take care of our health while it’s early and not wait for the condition to worsen, including hypertension and diabetes,” Go said.

He stressed that efforts to prevent chronic kidney disease should not come at the expense of patients who already depend on dialysis.

“To those needing dialysis, support must be sustained. We are talking about lives here. We should not hold back on spending for health care,” he said.

Go said PhilHealth funds should be maximized for the direct benefit of its members, particularly ordinary Filipinos who often struggle with health care expenses. 

“PhilHealth funds are the people’s money, from their contributions. We must return it to them through quality health care,” Go said.

“Every peso, every centavo. It’s their money,” he added. 

Go had strongly opposed the transfer of PhilHealth funds to the National Treasury and welcomed the return of P60 billion following a Supreme Court ruling, reiterating that money intended for health care must remain for the health needs of Filipinos. The high court unanimously ordered the return of the transferred amount and permanently prohibited the transfer of the remaining P29.9 billion.

Ho described PhilHealth’s investment in primary care as a strategic approach to the long-term sustainability of the national health insurance fund, pointing out that dialysis can also affect patients’ ability to work because treatment requires regular sessions.