Press Release
June 21, 2022

HONTIVEROS SET TO REFILE FREE DIALYSIS FOR SENIORS ACT

Senator Risa Hontiveros is set to refile the "Free Dialysis for Senior Citizens Act" in the 19th Congress. The senator began pushing this priority legislation during her first term, the last three years of which were made more complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The measure calls for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to continue providing free treatment for senior citizens who are undergoing dialysis. "Ramdam pa rin natin ang epekto ng pandemya. Ngayon ay may mga panibagong pasanin pa ang ating ekomomiya dahil sa pagtaas ng presyo ng gasolina, kaya kailangan nating patuloy na alalayan sila," said Hontiveros.

The senator explained that senior citizens are perhaps the "most vulnerable" among those with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Aging often comes with conditions that compromise kidney function such as heart diseases, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Each patient needs a total of 156 dialysis sessions for a complete year of treatment. Without the PhilHealth subsidy, they would be paying around P12,000 weekly for dialysis sessions. With most senior citizens dependent on their meager pensions and with no other source of income, they need all the help they can get.

Hontiveros disclosed, "Since then, we've been calling on PhilHealth to continue the free dialysis service. Every year, senior citizens would keep asking us if the free dialysis sessions would continue. Kaya sa tingin ko ay dapat nang gawing batas ito para mabigyan ng kapanatagan ang mga lolo at lola nating umaasa rito. This isn't just any privilege. It's literally their lifeline. Dapat automatic na yung pagiging libre ng kanilang dialysis sessions."

To recall, in November 2020, Hontiveros helped push PhilHealth into increasing the number of free dialysis sessions covered from 90 to 144. In 2021, Hontiveros filed Senate Bill No. 2053 or the "Free Dialysis for Senior Citizens Act of 2021" to ensure that seniors would keep getting 144 dialysis sessions for free. This was a landmark development, especially since PhilHealth heeded the plea amid the economic devastation wrought by the pandemic.

The senator is now also urging the Department of Health (DOH) to focus on disease prevention awareness by intensifying its campaign for health promotion, including the early detection of possible renal problems in senior citizens and even in children. Hontiveros asserted: "Mas mabuti kung makapag-focus din tayo sa prevention aspect. Ideally, dapat maiwasan natin ang paglala ng mga sakit na mangangailangan ng regular treatment gaya ng dialysis."


HONTIVEROS NAKAHANDANG I-REFILE ANG FREE DIALYSIS FOR SENIORS ACT

Muling i-re-refile ni Senador Risa Hontiveros ang "Free Dialysis for Senior Citizens Act" sa 19th Congress. Ang priority legislation na ito ay sinimulan niyang isulong sa kanyang unang termino, na naging kumplikado ang huling tatlong taon dahil sa pagkalat COVID-19 sa bansa.

Ang panukala ay nananawagan sa Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) na ipagpatuloy ang pagbibigay ng libreng paggamot para sa mga senior citizen na sumasailalim sa dialysis. "Ramdam pa rin natin ang epekto ng pandemya. Ngayon ay may mga panibagong pasanin pa ang ating ekonomiya dahil sa pagtaas ng presyo ng gasolina, kaya kailangan nating patuloy na alalayan sila," ani Hontiveros.

Paliwanag ng senadora, ang mga senior citizen ay kabilang sa mga "most vulnerable" na may Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Ang pagtanda ay kadalasang may kasamang mga kundisyong higit na nakompromiso ang kidney function katulad ng heart diseases, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Ang bawat pasyente ay nangangailangan ng kabuuang 156 sessions ng dialysis para sa isang buong taon ng paggamot. Kung wala ang PhilHealth subsidy, magbabayad sila ng humigit-kumulang P12,000 kada linggo para sa mga sesyon ng dialysis. Karamihan ng mga senior citizen ay umaasa sa kanilang kakarampot na pensiyon at walang ibang pinagkukunan ng kita, kaya kailangan nila ng tulong pinansyal para sa pagpapagamot.

Pahayag ni Hontiveros, "Since then, we've been calling on PhilHealth to continue the free dialysis service. Every year, senior citizens would keep asking us if the free dialysis sessions would continue. Kaya sa tingin ko ay dapat nang gawing batas ito para mabigyan. ng kapanatagan ang mga lolo at lola nating umaasa rito. This isn't just any privilege. It's literally their lifeline. Dapat automatic na yung pagiging libre ng kanilang dialysis sessions."

Noong Nobyembre 2020, tumulong si Hontiveros na itulak ang PhilHealth na dagdagan ang bilang ng libreng dialysis sessions mula 90 hanggang 144. Noong 2021, inihain ni Hontiveros ang Senate Bill No. 2053 o ang "Free Dialysis for Senior Citizens Act of 2021" upang matiyak na patuloy na makakakuha ng 144 free dialysis sessions ang mga senior citizens. Ito ay isang napakaimportanteng hakbang, lalo na dahil nagawan ng paraan na pagbigyan ang hiling sa gitna ng pagdurusa ng ekonomiya dahil sa pandemya.

Hinihimok din ngayon ng senadora ang Department of Health (DOH) na tutukan ang disease prevention awareness sa pamamagitan ng pagpapaigting ng kampanya para sa health promotion. Kabilang na rito ang early detection ng possible renal problems sa senior citizens and pati na rin sa kabataan. Sinabi ni Hontiveros, "Mas mabuti kung makapag-focus din tayo sa prevention aspect. Ideally, dapat maiwasan natin ang paglala ng mga sakit na mangangailangan ng regular treatment gaya ng dialysis."

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