THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has announced that its coverage for hemodialysis has been expanded from 90 to 156 sessions starting this year as provided for in a PhilHealth circular.
Circular 2023-0009 entitled “Institutionalization of 156 hemodialysis sessions” took effect starting Thursday, June 22, 2023.
PhilHealth members and their qualified dependents diagnosed with chronic kidney disease stage 5 (CKD5) needing hemodialysis as prescribed by their nephrologists may avail themselves of the benefit. The patient should also be registered in the PhilHealth Dialysis Database prior to availment.
The state-run health insurer explained that the total of 156 sessions is in accordance with the current standards for adequate hemodialysis of three sessions per week for 52 weeks which is equivalent to a little over a year.
With this benefit expansion, CKD5 patients on hemodialysis can avail themselves of as much as P405,600 per year at P2,600 per session.
“We are confident that this will adequately support our Kababayans who need this life-saving treatment,” PhilHealth president and CEO Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. said.
However, PhilHealth strongly advocates for peritoneal dialysis (PD) first, as it encourages accredited healthcare providers to recommend PD as the initial line of treatment for CKD5 patients.
On the other hand, kidney transplantation remains the gold standard treatment for patients with kidney failure.
The state agency said it is set to increase financial coverage for its peritoneal dialysis and kidney transplantation packages in the next two years.
As such, all health facilities should register their newly diagnosed CKD5 patients needing renal replacement therapy in the PhilHealth Dialysis Database.
Ledesma said the expansion in hemodialysis coverage as well as its institutionalization is made possible with the help of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
A total of P21 billion from these partner agencies have already been approved for transfer to PhilHealth under the 2023 General Appropriations Act. (PR)