Members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth can expect higher benefit packages from the state-run health insurer in the upcoming year.

In a statement, PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr. said the adjustment rates for the agency's benefit packages are to answer for the increasing costs of healthcare in the country brought about by inflation.

"It's about time that PhilHealth adjusts its rates in order for our members to cope with the increasing cost of medical care. We want our members to feel the value of their benefits which translates to meaningful financial risk protection," Ledesma said.

"Our fellow Filipinos should feel the benefits they can get from PhilHealth," he added.

It was in 2013 when the state insurer first implemented the case rate payment system wherein PhilHealth reimbursed a fixed amount for a specific medical condition or surgical case.

PhilHealth said that the case rates are likely to "increase to a maximum of 30 percent across all cases."

"This is expected to lower out-of-pocket expenses of patients during hospitalization and in the availment of PhilHealth benefits for outpatient care," it said.

However, to minimize untoward inflationary effects after rate adjustments, PhilHealth said it will "prescribe a cost-sharing mechanism wherein health facilities and the members will have fixed co-payment rates on top of what is being paid for by PhilHealth as the insurer."

"This way, health facilities will be more efficient in the use of resoturces to achieve desired health outcomes, while members can predict how much they should pay for amenities and other extra services availed of beyond those provided in basic or ward accommodations," it said.

"Other strategies to control the untoward effects of this adjustment include measures to prevent insurance fraud and doctor moral hazard," it added.