Patients undergoing dialysis may get up to 133 free treatment sessions annually from PhilHealth – Palace

November 10, 2020

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is mulling to shoulder up to 133 dialysis sessions per year for patients with kidney problems, Malacanang said on Tuesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said PhilHealth president and CEO Dante Gierran told him that he would get the board's approval.

"His suggestions to the Board and this will be in their meeting tomorrow, that the (free dialysis) will be three times a week, times four weeks a month, times 12. So, more or less, the free dialysis that will be given if approved by the board is 133 per year," he said.

Currently, PhilHealth shoulders 90 dialysis sessions per patient.

Aside from this, Roque said Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Royina Garma promised to give P10,000 each to all dialysis patients.

"We hope that it is now clear what will happen to free dialysis while there is a (coronavirus) pandemic," he said.

The government earlier granted unlimited dialysis treatment through PhilHealth due to declaration of state of calamity in the country amid the pandemic.

But some patients have complained recently that they were not able to avail of the free treatment due to lack of clear policy from PhilHealth.

President Rodrigo Duterte has extended the declaration of state of calamity to one year after the first proclamation expired last September. Celerina Monte/DMS