Senate Committee on Health chairperson, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, committed on 20 August 2024 to monitor the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) plan to have a 30 percent increase in case rates by yearend.

PhilHealth created the All Case Rates Policy, a mechanism of paying for inpatient care through a case-based provider system, wherein a hospital is reimbursed for each discharged patient at pre-determined rates.

The lawmaker from Davao City, during the Senate Committee on Health Public Hearing, urged PhilHealth to increase its case rates, expand its benefits and recommend the lowering of premium contribution of members amid existence of excess funds in its coffers.

“Hindi ko kayo titigilan hanggang hindi tumataas ang case rates ninyo at hindi kayo nakakapag-implement ng bagong mga programa nang maayos,” Go said.

Senator Go made this vow underscoring that the Universal Health Care Law represents the government’s investment in the health of our people and the future of our country.

It is his sworn duty, Senator Go added, to ensure that the healthcare policies public officials make are sound and beneficial to our people.

“Bilang chairperson ng Senate Committee on Health, sisiguraduhin ko na hangga’t kailangan ay patuloy nating isagawa ang monthly committee hearings na ito masiguro lang na ginagawa natin ang ating oversight responsibility sa ilalim ng Universal Health Care Law,” Go noted.

During the same hearing, PhilHealth President and CEO Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr. presented PhilHealth’s benefits delivery for 2024, such as Z benefit for breast cancer, neonatal sepsis, bronchial asthma, Konsulta expansion, and hemodialysis benefit package.

Also included for the rest of the year are services for physical and medical rehabilitation, dengue hemorrhagic fever, chemotherapy for lung, liver, ovary, and prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease with myocardial infarction, cataract extraction, and post-kidney transplant, among others.

In this connection, Senator Go asked PhilHealth to cover dental benefits saying that PhilHealth funds should benefit all Filipinos and should cover other aspects of their healthcare needs.

“Gamitin ninyo na para mapakinabangan ng Pilipino… Pera naman po ng taong bayan ‘yan. Ibalik po natin sa kanila,” Go said.

Related to this, Senator Go mentioned the total health expenses of Filipinos citing a 2024 Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) research, which showed out of the total expenses of Filipinos for their health, 48% was paid from their own pockets, 25% came from government share, such as PhilHealth, while the rest came from voluntary and compulsory health care payment schemes.