Despite the state insurer's remittance of unused government subsidies to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) are assured that their benefits will be unaffected.

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto clarified during a forum on Tuesday that PhilHealth has over P500 billion in reserve funds that could last for the next three years even after it remitted about P89.9 billion of national government subsidy.

“Even if we remove the P89.9 billion, there is still P500 billion good for the next three years or more. This more than P500 billion will be used for the new and expanded benefits of Philhealth,” Recto said. 

Likewise, Recto noted that the fund transfer of excess funds was legal and was duly approved by the PhilHealth Board of Directors. 

“We consulted: Is this legally possible? We asked the GCG (Government Commission for GOCCs), OGCC (Office of the Government Corporate Counsel), and also the COA (Commission on Audit). The three agencies of the government, it's all legal,” he added.

In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said PhilHealth members can expect to receive increased and expanded benefits from the government. 

Particularly, members suffering from breast cancer could receive as much as P1.4 million in medical assistance.

The President also announced that in response to the increasing costs of medication and medical care, PhilHealth would improve benefits for members who suffer from strokes and pneumonia. 

“Dinamihan na ang klase ng generic na gamot na kasama sa benepisyo para sa mga outpatient. Mula sa dalawampu’t isang generic na gamot, ay limampu’t tatlo na. May mga bagong gamot para sa altapresyon, at mayroon na rin para sa nerve pain at sa epileptic seizures,” Marcos said. 

["The class of generic drugs that are included in the benefit for outpatients has been increased. From twenty-one generic drugs, there are now fifty-three. There are new drugs for high blood pressure, and there are also drugs for nerve pain and epileptic seizures.”]

“Bilang tugon sa dumaraming insidente at tumataas na presyo ng pagpapagamot, itinaas na ng Philhealth nang mahigit doble ang mga benepisyo para sa mga malulubhang karamdaman, tulad ng acute stroke at pulmonya. Ang limit na ngayon para sa mga kundisyon na ito ay itinaas na hanggang pitumpu’t anim na libong piso at siyamnapung libong piso.”

[“In response to the increasing incidence and rising cost of treatment, Philhealth has more than doubled the benefits for serious illnesses, such as acute stroke and pneumonia. The limit now for these conditions has been raised to seventy-six thousand pesos and ninety thousand pesos.”]