The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has issued a total of P227.5 million to the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) to cover medical claims for 459 patients treated for heart attacks between 21 December 2024 and 18 July 2025.

This marks one of the largest reimbursements so far under PhilHealth’s enhanced benefit packages for ischemic heart disease–acute myocardial infarction (IHD-AMI). The updated packages, which took effect late last year, significantly raised financial coverage for key heart procedures, allowing hospitals to receive higher reimbursements and patients to access life-saving treatment with reduced out-of-pocket costs.

Under the expanded scheme, coverage for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been increased more than 15-fold – from P30,300 to P523,853. Fibrinolysis, another critical procedure, now receives P133,500 in benefits, up from just over P30,000 previously.

Additional services such as emergency medical response and cardiac rehabilitation are also now included under the expanded rates, with reimbursements of P21,900 and P66,140 respectively.

PhilHealth officials said the new rates are designed to reflect the actual costs incurred by hospitals and ensure that patients, particularly those confined in basic ward settings, are not burdened by additional payments. The changes form part of the state health insurer’s implementation of Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Law, which guarantees automatic health coverage and access to essential medical services for all Filipinos.

The PHC is among the first major institutions to receive a high-value reimbursement under the revised package, signaling PhilHealth’s commitment to rapidly deploying the new benefit rates across the country.

Earlier this year, the Philippine General Hospital received P22.8 million in claims for 77 patients treated under the same IHD-AMI program during the first quarter of 2025.

The agency noted that hospitals have responded positively to the expanded benefits, which not only support patient recovery but also strengthen the financial and operational capacity of medical institutions. PhilHealth said it continues to work closely with accredited providers to process claims promptly and encourage broader participation in the program.

During the ceremonial turnover of the P227.5 million check to the Heart Center, present were PhilHealth Acting President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Edwin Mercado, Senior Vice President for the Health Finance Policy Sector Dr. Israel Francis Pargas, and NCR Regional Vice President Dr. Bernadette Lico. Representing PHC were Executive Director Dr. Avenilo Aventura Jr. and Deputy Executive Director for Medical Services Dr. Christopher Cheng.

The expanded heart attack coverage is seen as a major step forward in aligning government health financing with actual treatment needs. It also addresses the rising burden of cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death in the Philippines.

PhilHealth reminded members to take advantage of its Konsulta program, which covers preventive screenings and risk assessments, noting that early intervention remains key in reducing costly emergency cases.