BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is appealing to the national government to reconsider the halting of the unlimited dialysis treatment program for patients.
On Thursday, the city’s legislative body passed a measure requesting President Rodrigo Duterte through the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to extend the assistance.
Councilor Cindy Rojas, author of the resolution, noted that dialysis patients in the city were greatly affected financially due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, with many residents losing their jobs and their other means of income.
“PhilHealth is the lead agency in charge of assisting our less fortunate dialysis patients who does not have the enough resources to support their medical needs,” Rojas further said.
PhilHealth recently announced that patients will no longer be able to avail of unlimited dialysis treatment through the state insurer after Sept. 15, once the six-month declaration of state of calamity over the country is lifted amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
PhilHealth circular stated that while under a state of calamity, the limit of 90 dialysis sessions will not be in effect.
This means that even if patients have used up their free dialysis during the period, PhilHealth is obligated to pay for the additional sessions./PN
