Senator Bong Go welcomes PhilHealth's expanded malaria outpatient care coverage as part of broader push for better healthcare for all

PHILIPPINES, April 28 - Press Release
April 28, 2025

Senator Bong Go welcomes PhilHealth's expanded malaria outpatient care coverage as part of broader push for better healthcare for all

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, welcomed the recent move of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to expand its outpatient care coverage for malaria, reaffirming ongoing efforts to eliminate the disease and strengthen access to affordable healthcare services for Filipinos.

PhilHealth announced that it has increased its outpatient malaria benefits package--from PhP 780 to PhP 1,170--to support early detection, treatment, and patient education. The package covers diagnostic malaria smears, rapid diagnostic tests, essential medicines such as Artemether + Lumefantrine, and medical consultations.

Members can now avail of these enhanced benefits at 1,816 accredited facilities nationwide, including primary care centers, outpatient malaria hubs, and accredited hospitals.

In addition, patients diagnosed with malaria without complications are entitled to inpatient coverage of PhP 5,460 in primary care facilities and PhP 7,800 in hospitals. This expanded support comes as the country records both progress and challenges in its fight against malaria.

According to the Department of Health (DOH) Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), malaria cases surged by 90% in 2023--from 3,245 cases in 2022 to 6,248. Yet by 2024, 72 out of 82 provinces have been officially declared malaria-free, highlighting the need for sustained vigilance and reinforced public health initiatives.

Speaking on the importance of the development, Senator Go emphasized that such initiatives align with the broader goal of achieving universal healthcare for all Filipinos.

"Napakahalaga po ng bawat hakbang na ginagawa natin para mas mapalapit ang serbisyo sa ating mga kababayan," Senator Go said. "Dapat walang Pilipinong hindi kayang magpagamot dahil lang sa kakulangan sa pera, lalo na sa mga sakit na kailangang maagapan gaya ng malaria."

He stressed that the theme of this year's World Malaria Day--"Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite"--should serve as a reminder that health reforms must be pursued not only during crises but as a sustained and collective national endeavor.

"Kung gusto natin matuldukan ang malaria at iba pang mga sakit, kailangang tuluy-tuloy ang suporta, tuluy-tuloy ang reporma," Senator Go continued. "Hindi p'wedeng kampante tayo. Ang kalusugan ng bawat Pilipino ay kayamanan ng ating bayan."

Senator Go's consistent advocacy for strengthening healthcare services, particularly through PhilHealth, has led to a series of critical reforms aimed at making medical support more inclusive, responsive, and affordable. As one of the authors of the Universal Health Care Act, Senator Go has long called for the overhaul of outdated PhilHealth policies that disproportionately burdened the poor.

PhilHealth scrapped the Single Period of Confinement (SPC) policy, which previously restricted patients from claiming multiple reimbursements for related illnesses within 90 days. Senator Go had consistently raised concerns about the policy's impact on poor patients who needed extended treatment but were disqualified from subsequent claims.

Following this, Senator Go also pressured PhilHealth to remove the anti-poor 24-hour confinement rule, which mandated that patients must be confined for at least 24 hours before qualifying for benefits. This outdated requirement was finally repealed, enabling more Filipinos to access emergency outpatient services without facing financial hardship.

Moreover, PhilHealth lifted the 45-day annual limit on hospitalizations for members and their dependents, a landmark improvement that allows continued coverage for chronic or life-threatening illnesses without arbitrary caps. Patients suffering from long-term conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and kidney failure stand to benefit immensely from this policy change.

In addition to policy reforms, PhilHealth has also begun systematically adjusting benefit packages and increasing case rates for various illnesses, significantly reducing out-of-pocket costs. Illnesses like urinary tract infections, influenza, and acute gastroenteritis have seen benefit enhancements. However, Senator Go cautioned that more needs to be done.

"Hindi pa tapos ang laban para gawing mas maayos ang serbisyo ng PhilHealth," Senator Go said. "Kailangan siguraduhin natin na 'yung mga pangunahing sanhi ng pagkamatay sa ating bansa ay sapat ang benepisyo at suporta."

As a health reforms crusader, Senator Go reiterated his push for PhilHealth to continue prioritizing diseases that account for the country's highest mortality rates. These include heart conditions, diabetes, and respiratory diseases.

"Kung gusto nating palakasin ang kalusugan ng ating bayan, dapat inuuna natin 'yung mga karaniwang sakit na pumapatay sa ating mga kababayan," Senator Go emphasized. "Mas maraming mabibigyan ng pag-asa, mas maraming mabubuhay nang mas mahaba."

With these sweeping reforms now taking shape, Senator Go vowed to remain vigilant in ensuring that PhilHealth evolves into a truly pro-poor institution, staying true to its mandate of protecting every Filipino from the financial burden of illness.

"Ang pera ng PhilHealth ay dapat na gamitin sa health!" said Senator Go, emphasizing that PhilHealth is not a business enterprise but a public insurance system funded by ordinary citizens. "Ang PhilHealth po, hindi negosyo 'yan. Insurance 'yan. Dapat meron tayong masasandalan tuwing tayo'y nagkakasakit."

As the country moves closer to its goal of malaria elimination and universal health care, Senator Go reaffirmed his commitment to amplifying reforms that safeguard every Filipino's right to quality, affordable, and accessible health services.