AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee is pushing for full PhilHealth coverage on cancer treatment, heart bypass surgery, and other major hospital operations, aside from the approved 30% increase on the agency’s benefits that he fought for.

In an interview on Feb. 5, Lee pointed out that treatments for the said illnesses cost millions, while PhilHealth coverage only offers P150,000 to P600,000 for the entire course of treatment.

“In the case of cancer, alam naman natin na ang gamutan diyan, hindi pwedeng installment. Gusto natin gawin itong unlimited. Dapat full coverage; kung ano ang kailangang gamutan sa cancer, kailangan sagot lahat ng PhilHealth ‘yan,” Lee stressed.

“Yung sa heart bypass surgery, coronary artery bypass, P550,000 ang limit sa coverage pero milyon-milyon ang gagastusin mo diyan,” he added.

According to Lee, “tinututukan ko po ito, hindi tayo hihinto sa 30% increase sa benefits na ipinaglaban natin. Because there are so many cases, na kahit doble ang itaas ng coverage, kakapusin pa rin sa pambayad ang mga miyembro.”

The agency is set to implement the 30% increase on most of its benefit packages on Feb. 14.

Lee had earlier sought to expand PhilHealth healthcare packages and coverage, following the complaints he received that some hospitals did not want to accept indigent patients because they were unable to pay their doctors and employees due to the state health insurer’s huge debts.

“Ang daming nagsasabi noon, ayaw silang tanggapin sa ospital kasi malaki raw ang utang ng PhilHealth. Doon nagsimula ‘yan. Naisiwalat po natin ‘yan nung nakaraang budget hearing. Nalaman natin na contrary to what we all believe, ang dami palang pera ng PhilHealth,” the solon said.

It can be recalled that upon Lee’s questioning during the deliberation of the proposed 2024 budget of the Department of Health (DOH) on September 2023, it was revealed that PhilHealth had P466 billion worth of investible funds and P68.4 billion net income.

Through a letter to the PhilHealth leadership on October 2023, he recommended a 30% across-the-board increase in the agency’s benefit packages and coverage.

Lee also filed House Resolution No. 1407, urging the state health insurer to update and increase its coverage by 30%, noting that its case rate “is no longer responsive to the hospitalization cost of the beneficiaries.”

Meanwhile, the lawmaker also urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to temporarily suspend the implementation of the PhilHealth premium rate hike from 4% last year to 5% this year.

“Ako mismo, personally, I would ask, I would urge the President to suspend it temporarily hanggang makabawi tayo, hanggang makabangon tayo. Gusto po natin na maibsan ang pasanin ng ating mga kababayan at mabawasan ang pangamba ng bawat pamilya na lalong mabaon sa utang at hirap oras na sila ay magkasakit,” the solon said.

“Kaya ko sinasabi ‘yan dahil alam ko marami pang pera ang PhilHealth. Pero dahil gusto nating pagandahin ng PhilHealth ang serbisyo nila, dagdagan yung benefits, there will come a time na baka kulangin sila, so kailangan din po nating gawin ang ating role. Sa pagtutulungan natin, Winner Tayo Lahat,” he added.