The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) announced Saturday that members can now avail of a more than 70 percent increase in benefits for open-heart surgeries, as the state insurer expanded its benefits package for coronary artery bypass grafts to up to P960,000 from P550,000.

Meanwhile, coverage for the closure of ventricular septal defects has increased to up to P614,000 from P250,000, PhilHealth said. For the total correction of tetralogy of Fallot, patients can receive up to P614,000, up from P320,000.

Additionally, PhilHealth has improved its Z Benefits Package by including coverage for heart valve repair and replacement, ranging from P642,000 to P810,000.

Financial aid for cardiac rehabilitation is now also available, with P15,000 for adults and P6,500 for children. PhilHealth said these benefits are offered by more than 130 specialty centers nationwide.

“PhilHealth echoes one of the missions of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to bring health services closer to all Filipinos and enhance their lives and overall well-being,” PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Dr. Edwin Mercado said.

The state insurer added that qualified PhilHealth members and dependents can avail of these benefits without co-payments if admitted to PhilHealth-contracted facilities.

Heart disease was the leading cause of death in the country in 2023, accounting for 19 percent of total deaths, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. Cancer ranked second, with a 10 percent share.