Senator Christopher "Bong" Go on Tuesday urged the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to ensure that its expanded emergency care benefits and recent reforms are properly implemented following a viral case involving the reported non-coverage of a longtime member's medical expenses.
Go said the circumstances surrounding the death of Marvin Sulit and the financial burden left to his family should be thoroughly reviewed to determine whether existing emergency care benefits should have applied and whether any lapses in hospital implementation, PhilHealth processing or public communication prevented the family from receiving assistance. The senator's office has already coordinated with PhilHealth to verify the details of the case.
While expressing sympathy for the Sulit family, Go stressed that healthcare reforms should not remain policies on paper but must be clearly understood by hospitals and PhilHealth personnel and readily accessible to members during emergencies. He reiterated that PhilHealth is a public health insurance program meant to provide financial protection for Filipinos, calling on the agency to continue improving the implementation and communication of its expanded benefit packages.