PhilHealth to scrap single confinement rule

PHILIPPINE Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) officials have vowed to scrap the controversial single-period confinement policy by the end of September 2024.

PhilHealth’s commitment was made during the Senate Committee on Health hearing on September 10.

Sen. Bong Go, chairman of the Health Committee, has long been pushing for the scrapping of the single-confinement policy, which prevents patients from taking advantage of PhilHealth coverage for the same illness within a short time frame, leading to unnecessary burdens on Filipino families.

Go’s relentless appeals to PhilHealth have finally yielded results, with the health insurance agency committing to implement the change.

Go underscored the policy’s negative impact on the public, particularly for patients suffering from recurring illnesses.

PhilHealth COO Eli Santos confirmed that the agency would comply with Go’s appeals.

“We will include the removal of this provision on a single period of confinement when we implement, or we come up with a policy or the increase of the case rates, probably from 30 to 50 percent increase,” Santos said.

However, Go pushed for immediate action, urging PhilHealth to remove the policy independent from other planned adjustments.

“Why do you have to do it simultaneously? Why don’t you first remove this single confinement policy while studying the increasing case rates?” Go said in Filipino.

Santos eventually conceded, saying, “Yes, Mr. Chairman, we’ll comply immediately. We’ll remove it.”

Go emphasized that removing the policy was critical in improving health care access for Filipinos.

“According to PhilHealth, they will remove the single confinement policy by the end of September,” Go said during the hearing.

“Many Filipinos are not given proper benefits because of this, so it’s good that PhilHealth listened to our grievances,” he added.

Go had repeatedly criticized the policy as illogical, noting that illnesses such as pneumonia and pregnancy complications were unpredictable and could not be limited by arbitrary timelines.