“Yung kayang ibigay, dapat ibigay na agad!”
This was what AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee reiterated as he pushed for the inclusion of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Computed Tomography (CT) scan, and all other diagnostic tests in the urgent care packages of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
During the House Committee on Health hearing on Tuesday, Lee stressed that “napakatagal na po ng mga modernong teknolohiyang ito na ginagamit para ma-detect kung meron at kung ano nang stage ng cancer, pero hindi pa pala ito automatic na covered ng PhilHealth. Napakahalaga na may access dito ang ating mga kababayan.”
Currently, the MRI, CT and PET scans are only covered by PhilHealth if these are undertaken as inpatient services. On the other hand, these are included in the Department of Health’s (DOH) Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients (MAIP) program.
“Napakaraming pera ng PhilHealth. Sabi nga natin, hindi prayoridad ng PhilHealth na ilagak ang pondo sa bangko. Bilang health insurance provider, dapat gamitin, ubusin ito kung kinakailangan, sa pagpapalawak ng mga benepisyo nito, kasama na ang full coverage sa mabibigat na karamdaman at diagnostic tests. Huwag nating patagalin at ipagkait ang serbisyo, lalo na sa nangangailangan,” Lee said.
“Paano kung hindi naka-confine pero kailangang gawin ang ganitong procedure? Kailangan pang magpa-admit muna? Paano kung walang malapitan o mapagkunan ng MAIP? Di biro ang gagastusin sa mga ito. Bago pa makaipon, baka malala na ang sakit o kaya naman ay mabaon sa utang para lang maipagawa ang procedure na ito,” he added.
During the May 21 House Committee on Health hearing, Lee raised a motion for the Committee to urge PhilHealth to include the said scans and diagnostic services in its benefit packages which was then approved by Chairperson Rep. Gato Ciriaco Jr.
A staunch health advocate, Lee aggressively pushed for the 30% increase in PhilHealth benefits. This came after he revealed during the DOH budget hearing last September 2023 that the state health insurer had P466 billion investible funds aside from its P68.4 billion net income and P100 billion government subsidy.
In his October 2023 letter addressed to PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer (PCEO) Emmanuel Ledesma, Jr. and House Resolution No. 1407 filed October of last year, Lee urged the state health insurer to increase all its benefit packages by 30% since its case rate is no longer responsive to the hospitalization cost of beneficiaries, as this has not been adjusted for over a decade.
The 30% increase in PhilHealth benefit packages took effect on February 14. Ledesma, on his part, acknowledged Lee’s persistence in calling for the said increase.
“Kami sa PhilHealth, we will be eternally grateful to Honorable Wilbert Lee… Yung pagka-mention niya na ‘ang dami-dami niyong pera, you have to start thinking of the benefit package increases’, talagang si Honorable Lee is really the one who got the ball rolling. Siya talaga yung spark… and it was really, the way it was mentioned, the way it was highlighted, I think everyone started talking about it. Pero honestly Cong., kayo ang nag-umpisa ng lahat. Maraming, maraming, maraming salamat,” Ledesma stated during the House Committee on Health briefing last February 14.
The solon from Bicol also advocated for the full coverage of dialysis, cancer treatment, heart bypass surgery, and other diagnostic tests and preventive measures, as well as the effective implementation of the “No Balance Billing” with the ultimate goal of freeing our countrymen from out-of-pocket medical expenses.
“Sabi ko nga po, hindi tayo hihinto sa 30% increase lang sa mga benepisyo ng PhilHealth. The government should be proactive in providing the Filipinos what they deserve. We deserve better healthcare services, so we should demand better,” the Bicolano lawmaker said.
“Bukod sa tiyak na trabaho, dagdag na kita, sapat at murang pagkain, kasama sa mga serbisyong dapat singilin mula sa gobyerno ang pagkakaloob ng de-kalidad, abot-kaya, at mapagmalasakit na serbisyong pangkalusugan. Winner Tayo Lahat kung maibibigay ito sa Pilipino, kung saan mababawasan ang pasanin at pangamba nila na lalong malubog sa utang at kahirapan dahil walang panggastos sa gamot o pagpapa-ospital,” Lee added.
