Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto underscored that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s Zero Balance Billing policy in Department of Health (DOH) hospitals, along with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) aggressive expansion of its benefit packages, showcase the government’s commitment to delivering universal healthcare for all Filipinos.

“The government is committed to maximizing its resources to ensure that no Filipino is denied healthcare because of the rising costs of medical treatment,” he said.

The Finance Chief noted that this was the “overarching message” of President Marcos, Jr., and one of the central themes of his latest State of the Nation Address (SONA).

“The marching orders of the President have always been clear. Wala dapat natutulog na pondo habang may mga Pilipinong may sakit. We hope PhilHealth continues to expand its benefit packages, especially now that it has more than enough in its war chest to make a real difference,” he added.

Secretary Recto pointed out that the government, through PhilHealth, is implementing the most significant expansion of benefit packages in the history of the Universal Health Care program because “our goal has always been to make every hard-earned peso of the Filipino taxpayer count—for the people, for their families, and for their health.”

Among PhilHealth’s latest expanded benefits for Filipinos are the increased package rate for breast cancer patients, which rose from PHP 100,000 to PHP 1.4 million or a 1,300% jump to cover all stages of the illness.

For dialysis patients, the President revealed in his SONA that sessions and medications are now free for an entire year.

“Sa mga nagda-dialysis: Ang mga sessions ninyo na tatlong beses sa isang linggo, libre na sa buong taon. Libre na rin po pati ang mga kinakailangang mga gamot,” the President announced.

Before, benefits for Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) were only PHP 270,000, but the government has now extended this by 370%, covering from PHP 25,000 up to PHP 1,269,000.

For its case rates, PhilHealth has institutionalized 156 hemodialysis sessions a year at PHP 6,350 per session from PHP 4,000 per session (58.75% increase), translating to almost a million pesos worth of support per patient per year.

Furthermore, benefits for Filipinos in need of kidney transplants have been increased by 250% to PHP 2,100,000 from just PHP 600,000. On top of this, PhilHealth now covers the services and medicines needed post-operation.

Post-Kidney Transplant services for pediatrics have increased up to PHP 1,765,130 for the first year and up to PHP 810,732 for the succeeding year. For adults, coverage increased up to PHP 671,800 for the first year, and PHP 621,800 for the next year.

“Kung kailangan talaga na magpa-transplant, huwag po kayong matakot sa gastos dahil sagot na ng PhilHealth,” President Marcos, Jr. stressed.

PhilHealth has also expanded the benefits for patients who have contracted severe dengue by 193.75% to PHP 47,000 from PHP 16,000.

The President added that benefits for cataract patients have also dramatically increased—by up to 826.238%—with coverage rising from PHP 20,200 to PHP 187,100.

The President also announced that outpatient and emergency care services are now covered by PhilHealth.

For its outpatient benefits, PhilHealth has increased the capitation rate for its Konsulta program to PHP 1,700 for both government (from PHP 500) and private package (from PHP 750) providers.

To address poor eyesight and malnutrition, President Marcos, Jr. announced that optometric services for children up to 15 years old (PHP 2,500), as well as therapeutic care for severe acute malnutrition for children 60 months old and below (PHP 7,500 to PHP 17,000), are now covered by PhilHealth.

For persons with disability (PWD), the President said PhilHealth now covers their therapy and rehabilitation needs.

PhilHealth now covers physical medicine, rehabilitation services, and assistive mobility devices for up to PHP 40,000.

Other benefits expanded under PhilHealth include open heart surgeries. The benefits for ventricular septal defect went up to PHP 614,000 (from PHP 250,000) as well as total correction of tetralogy of fallot (PHP 614,000 from PHP 320,000) and coronary artery bypass graft surgery (up to PHP 960,000 from PHP 550,000).

Heart Valve Repair and/or Replacement for Valvular Heart Diseases for pedia and adults have also increased up to PHP 816,500 and PHP 825,000.

Inpatient benefits were also increased for neonatal sepsis (PHP 25,793 from PHP 11,700), bronchial asthma (PHP 22,488 from PHP 9,000), ischemic heart disease (PHP 523,853 from PHP 21,900), and COVID-19 (PHP 55,000 from PHP 43,997).

Preventive oral care health services in primary care are now covered by PhilHealth with benefits ranging from PHP 200 to PHP 1,500 on a per tooth or visit basis.