'Magmalasakit sa may sakit' -- Bong Go's consistent push for reforms results in PhilHealth commitment to amend 24-hour confinement policy
October 17, 2024
'Magmalasakit sa may sakit' -- Bong Go's consistent push for reforms results in PhilHealth commitment to amend 24-hour confinement policy
Reforms toward better healthcare benefits were set in motion the moment Senate Committee on Health Chairman Senator Christopher "Bong" Go made the first of many appeals for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to improve its policies and packages to benefit poor and indigent patients.
On December of this year, PhilHealth is set to amend its controversial 24-hour confinement policy which mandates patients to be confined for at least 24 hours in order to avail of PhilHealth benefits.
Following this development, Go expressed his commendation, saying, "I've been pushing for this change because the current policy is unfair to our people, especially the poor. Hindi naman dapat hintayin na lumala ang kondisyon ng pasyente bago sila matulungan. Dapat maagapan agad para hindi lumaki ang gastusin ng tao at ng PhilHealth."
PhilHealth first announced during a recent Senate hearing presided by Go that the new policy, which aims to cover emergency outpatient services without the 24-hour confinement requirement, is expected to be implemented by yearend.
Atty. Eli Dino Santos, PhilHealth's Executive Vice President and COO, affirmed their commitment to revise the rule, ensuring that patients no longer need to be confined overnight to access PhilHealth benefits.
Go emphasized the importance of this policy shift for millions of Filipinos who often face medical emergencies but are financially unable to afford long hospital stays.
"Karamihan ng pupunta sa emergency room, kailangan talaga ng tulong. Hindi sila pupunta doon para magpanggap na may sakit. Kailangan natin itong baguhin para hindi sila pahirapan. Magmalasakit tayo sa may sakit," he explained.
While Go praised PhilHealth for this development, he also urged them to act swiftly and efficiently in implementing this policy to alleviate the financial burden on Filipino families.
"Maraming maaabot itong pagbabago na ito. Hindi na kailangang magpa-confine pa ng 24 oras para makakuha ng PhilHealth coverage ang mga pasyente," Go added.
In addition to pushing for the amendment of the 24-hour rule, Go reiterated his call for PhilHealth to introduce more reforms to provide healthcare for all in accordance with the Universal Healthcare Law, among others.
"Masaya ako sa pagbabago ng policy pero hindi tayo dapat tumigil dito. Kailangan pang magdagdag ng mga benepisyo para mas maraming Pilipino ang makinabang. Ang layunin natin ay ma-maximize ang pondo ng PhilHealth para sa kalusugan ng bawat Pilipino," Go emphasized.
He has been consistently advocating for other reforms such as increase in case rates, expansion of benefit packages, lowering of premium contributions, provision of free medicines and assistive devices, and updates on other outdated policies.
"Kabilang po sa mga repormang ito ang pagtataas sa case rates o halagang sasagutin ng PhilHealth; dagdagan pa ang mga sakit na puwedeng i-cover; ibaba ang contribution o kaltas sa sahod ng mga regular members; palawakin ang benefit packages katulad ng para sa dental, visual at mental health; magbigay ng mga assistive devices, tulad ng wheelchairs at salamin, ayon sa rekomendasyon ng mga doktor; magpamahagi ng libreng gamot; at rebisahin ang mga outdated na polisiya tulad ng 24-hour confinement rule, at ang hindi pagsama sa emergency care sa mga benepisyong covered ng PhilHealth," Go enumerated.
During the last several Senate hearings, Go relentlessly pushed for specific, practical, yet impactful reforms that will benefit millions of Filipinos. These include the abolition of the Single Period of Confinement Policy, crafting of an emergency outpatient care package, and wholistic enhancement of its case rates system, to name a few.
Go pressed PhilHealth to accelerate its other reforms following the long-overdue scrapping of the Single Period of Confinement (SPC) policy, which had remained in place for 11 years.
Earlier, Go explained how this policy had limited PhilHealth's coverage for patients who needed readmission within a specific period, often leaving them without assistance for subsequent hospitalizations. Due to his persistent efforts, the policy was finally abolished this month.
While its removal was a significant step triggered by Go's consistent appeals for reform, the senator urged PhilHealth officials to conduct a thorough review of its other outdated policies, stressing that they must evolve to meet the present healthcare needs of Filipinos.
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