HONTIVEROS TO PHILHEALTH: CONTINUE PROVIDING 144 FREE DIALYSIS SESSIONS FOR PATIENTS

Senator Risa Hontiveros once again appealed to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to continue providing free treatment for dialysis patients. Each patient needs a total of 156 dialysis sessions for a complete year of treatment.

"Kailangan nating patuloy na alalayan ang mga dialysis patients, lalo na ngayong hindi pa tayo tuluyang naka-recover mula sa epekto ng pandemya. Siguraduhin nating makukuha muli nilang libre ang halos lahat ng dialysis sessions nila para sa 2022," said Hontiveros.

The senator is working hard to ensure that dialysis patients are spared from shelling out around P12,000 weekly for dialysis sessions. The cost is on top of their other expenses.

"Imagine kung hindi pa makahanap ng trabaho at naubos na o walang savings yung dialysis patients," Hontiveros pointed out. "Hindi sila makakapagpa-dialysis. Hindi natin pwedeng hayaan na lang na mangyari ito."

To recall, PhilHealth increased the number of dialysis sessions to 144 in November 2020 to help patients cope with the pandemic. The following year, Hontiveros filed Senate Bill No. 2053 or the "Free Dialysis for Senior Citizens Act of 2021" to ensure that seniors would get 144 dialysis sessions for free. She explained: "Ang mga lolo't lola natin ang isa sa pinaka-bulnerableng grupo noong kasagsagan ng pandemya."

However, as the pandemic went on, it became evident that it wasn't just seniors who needed help. Thus, Hontiveros, along with other concerned groups, appealed to PhilHealth to ensure that dialysis patients of all ages would get 144 sessions for free in 2021. PhilHealth heeded the appeal.

At present, Hontiveros is also urging the Department of Health (DOH) to intensify its campaign for health promotion and disease prevention, including the early detection of possible renal problems in children.

"Kailangan talaga nating mamuhunan para sa kalusugan," said the senator. "Mas tutukan pa sana ng DOH 'yung prevention aspect dahil talagang mas magastos kapag nagkasakit tayo. Kaya mas mainam na maiwasan natin ang sakit kesa hintaying lumala pa."