1,552 Quezon City residents get PhilHealth coverage

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government has processed the membership of over 1,500 indigent residents to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

Mayor Joy Belmonte and PhilHealth chief insurance officer Jose Sidfry Panganiban recently led the distribution of PhilHealth identification cards to 1,552 members in the city’s second district.

Among the recipients are residents of Barangays Bagong Silangan, Batasan Hills, Commonwealth, Holy Spirit and Payatas.

According to the city government, the beneficiaries were verified by social workers before they were included in the program.

The local government will cover the contributions of the beneficiaries to avail themselves of PhilHealth coverage, including the hospitalization of members of their families.

Meanwhile, city hall on Tuesday launched the “Act Now Prime Care for Breast Cancer” program in Barangay Commonwealth.

The program aims to help in the early detection of breast cancer using telemedicine, mobile screen clinics and the Act Now portal.

Meanwhile, PhilHealth is expanding the coverage of its hemodialysis benefit package.

PhilHealth president Emmanuel Ledesma said the coverage of hemodialysis would be extended from 90 to 156 sessions.

“The additional sessions are based on standards for adequate dialysis, which requires four-hour sessions thrice a week for chronic kidney disease patients,” Ledesma pointed out.

PhilHealth senior vice president Israel Pargas said they would come out soon with the guidelines for the expansion of the hemodialysis package. – Mayen Jaymalin