MANILA, February 28 ------ The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has enhanced the outpatient human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment (OHAT) package, now providing PHP58,500 in annual benefit. This is a 95-percent increase from the previous PHP30,000 package rate.
In a news release on Thursday, PhilHealth said it is committed to supporting people living with HIV (PLHIV) through the provision of increased financial access to essential healthcare via the comprehensive outpatient HIV/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) treatment coverage. "This enhancement is aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to continually improve and sustain health insurer’s healthcare benefits by ensuring adequate financial support to patients seeking medical treatment," it added.
In his second State of the Nation Address, Marcos said “the whole of society must exert efforts to suppress the alarming rise of tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS through a strategic plan, ensuring early diagnosis and treatment, and ample testing sites and medications." The OHAT package includes antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all individuals with positive HIV test results as confirmed by certified institutions, regardless of their clinical or immunologic status. It also ensures access to all minimum essential services necessary for effective HIV management. It can be accessed through any of the 234 PhilHealth-accredited DOH-designated HIV treatment facilities nationwide.
The PhilHealth encouraged other members to sign up for regular HIV testing through the improved OHAT package. It said a separate package for tuberculosis directly observed therapy short-course (TB-DOTS) may be reimbursed at accredited TB-DOTS facilities. Members may avail of the OHAT and TB-DOTS packages simultaneously. A total of PHP1.66 billion for 176,819 outpatient HIV/AIDS package benefit claims have been disbursed by the state insurer in 2024.
Source: pna.gov.ph
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