Philhealth introduces kidney transplant package in Iloilo

• Source:http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=7&rid=849497
• Saturday, January 23, 2016

(PNA), RMA/PGL/CBFERRER/CBF

ILOILO CITY (PNA) -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) launched its Php600,000 kidney transplant (Z-benefit) package in Iloilo, Friday.

Philhealth , through type Z, its highest benefit package, now shoulder the total cost of treatment including the drugs and medicines, operating room and professional fees for the entire course of treatment, as well as mandatory and other health services of the patients who undergo kidney transplant.

To avail the package, a PhilHealth member and his dependent should pass the selections criteria and should be pre-authorized by the contracted facility before the services can be provided.

Dr. Helen Caro Pastolero, head of St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo’s Kidney Center, said that there were 10-12 patients on the list of PhilHealth members who wanted to avail of the package. First on the list is Marites Olivares Eusoya, who was diagnosed with a stage 4 , going stage 5 chronic kidney disease in October 2010

Pastolero said that kidney transplant would take two to three hours.

St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo is the first private hospital in the country that becomes a Z benefit provider for kidney transplant.

In 2015, PhilHealth 6 paid more than Php300 million for around 52,500 patients who are undergoing dialysis due to kidney disease.

This year, as Philhealth launched its kidney transplant package, Pastolero said that they hope to provide hope for patients who had illnesses that were perceived to be medically and financially catastrophic that further pushed patients into prolonged hospitalization and very expensive medical treatment.