MANILA, Philippines, December 4 ------ Filipinos can look forward to availing of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth)’s expanded health care packages within the year.
PhilHealth senior vice president for health finance policy sector Israel Francis Pargas said the agency intends to issue the necessary rules for the implementation of the expanded health care package this month. “On the specific rules, the policy is still being made. Hopefully, it will come out this December so that we can implement it immediately before the year ends so people can benefit from it,” Pargas said in Filipino during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday.
PhilHealth previously unveiled expanded health care packages to cover 10 rare diseases and mobility devices. Pargas said rare diseases are illnesses affecting one out of 20,000 people. There are 40 identified rare diseases, but Pargas said PhilHealth will cover only 10. He said there is still no clear data as to the actual number of Filipinos with rare diseases.
Aside from 10 rare diseases, Pargas said, PhilHealth is also set to cover assistive mobility devices like wheelchairs for those prescribed with it.
Source: philstar.com
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