BOAC, Marinduque — “Kaya pang mas iparamdam ang tulong sa mga Pilipino. Kung mas maagang nagdagdag ng mga benepisyo, hindi na sana umabot sa zero subsidy!”
This was the sentiment expressed by Agri Party-list lawmaker Wilbert “Wise” Lee, who has been at the forefront of the campaign for health reform in the country, as he welcomed the recent announcement of new benefit enhancements by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
While Lee acknowledged the significance of the recently approved 50% increase on select case rates of PhilHealth, the increase in benefit packages for heart ailments, new outpatient emergency care benefit package, benefit for preventive oral health services in primary care, and Z benefit packages for kidney transplantation and peritoneal dialysis, he stressed that these are long overdue and are still not enough.
“Bahagi lamang ito sa mga commitment na pinirmahan ng Department of Health (DOH) at PhilHealth na itinulak natin noong nakaraang budget deliberations. Fifty percent across-the-board, hindi lamang sa ilang sakit ang napagkasunduan. Hinihintay pa rin natin ang katuparan ng iba pang mga dagdag na benepisyo na kanilang ipinangako,” he said.
It can be recalled that the lawmaker sealed these health commitments signed by DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa and PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Ledesma Jr., during the House Plenary Deliberations on the DOH Budget that ended in a mic scuffle last September 25.
Other commitments that have yet to be complied with include the comprehensive plan to reduce the out-of-pocket medical expenses of Filipinos, detailed report on the availability of medicines and vaccines in public hospitals, implementing free diagnostic tests such as Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan, Computed Tomography (CT) scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as part of outpatient services and at least 80 percent coverage for cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and procedures for heart diseases.
A staunch health advocate, Lee was instrumental in the 30 percent increase in PhilHealth benefits which started on February 14, after more than a decade of case rates not being reviewed or adjusted. Through his persistent efforts, PhilHealth also implemented more benefits enhancements such as free dialysis, and the increase in coverage for breast cancer treatment from P100,000 to P1.4 million.
Further, he was at the forefront of fighting for the inclusion of free eye checkup and free prescription glasses on PhilHealth benefits which are now being finalized.
As the year draws to a close, Lee has made a passionate appeal to the DOH and PhilHealth to ensure that they do not repeat the mistakes of the past. “Make it your New Year’s Resolution to not repeat the same mistake of not using the billions of funds for healthcare benefits so zero government subsidy for PhilHealth will not happen again,” he urged.
“Mahigit isang dekadang hindi umusad at naipagkait ang mga benepisyong pangkalusugan na kailangang-kailangan ng ating mga kababayan. Tigilan na ang pagiging manhid at kawalan ng pakialam sa mga nagdurusang Pilipino na araw-araw nangangamba at tinitiis ang sakit dahil walang pambili ng gamot at pambayad sa ospital.”
“Nagpapasalamat po tayo sa pakikiisa ng marami nating kababayan at sa lumalakas pa nating nating panawagan na ang pondo para sa kalusugan ay dapat gamitin sa kalusugan. Patuloy natin itong ipaglalaban at hindi tatantanan. Dagdag lang nang dagdag ng mga benepisyo hanggang maging libre na ang gamot at pagpapagamot ng mga Pilipino. Ang ipinaglalaban ko: Gamot Mo, Sagot Ko!” he added.
