PhilHealth E. Visayas tracks down dialysis patient

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 2  -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has tied up with 19 health facilities in Eastern Visayas to track down the benefit availment of patients undergoing dialysis.

The state health insurance firm has gathered operators of government and private dialysis center in the region on Thursday afternoon for a signing of memorandum of agreement.

These 19 facilities are in the cities of Tacloban, Ormoc, and Baybay in Leyte; Calbayog City in Samar; Catarman and Pambujan in Northern Samar; and Maasin City in Southern Leyte.

PhilHealth Regional Vice President Renato Limsiaco said the dialysis availment tracking system is needed considering that some patients have exhausted their allowable benefits.

“The tracking system has established viewing of the available allowable days of the patients who seek dialysis treatment. We remain committed to mitigate the damages of unhealthy lifestyle to the renal system,” Limsiaco told reporters during the launch.

Under PhilHealth’s existing rules, the maximum benefit for dialysis patient is PHP234,000 with 90 days maximum coverage for hemodialysis sessions and 360 days for peritoneal dialysis.

The region has 745 registered dialysis patients from six provinces.

Dialysis is a treatment to people suffering kidney failure -- usually by the time someone lose about 85 to 90 percent of kidney function. (SQM/PNA)