The Department of Health (DOH) said on Thursday that the government is eyeing to give free breast cancer tests such as mammography and ultrasound by June this year.
The DOH, in a release that the state-run insurer PhilHealth approved, said the inclusion of mammography and ultrasound in its benefits package, which also helps detect other conditions such as abdominal problems.
DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa had ordered PhilHealth to include ultrasound and mammograms in its Konsulta benefit package after several lawmakers called to expand the insurer’s coverage to primary care screening services.
The DOH agency added that PhilHealth’s Board of Directors had also approved an increase in the capitation rate of PhilHealth Konsulta to P1,700 per patient seen a year.
According to DOH, Konsulta is a primary care PhilHealth benefit package that provides payments for free annual check-ups and medicines.
The DOH said PhilHealth targets to implement the increased payments by June 2024 or earlier, “depending on the completion of operational details such as IT system enhancements.”
Earlier, PhilHealth added mammography and ultrasound screening services that will help detect breast cancer and other conditions such as abdominal problems.
“It is the pleasure of the Board to now bring up primary care benefits with mammogram and ultrasound services not just in sandbox sites, but nationwide,” he said.
PhilHealth Konsulta is a primary care benefit package that provides capitation payments for free annual check-ups, selected diagnostics and medicines.
The increase in payments is expected to be implemented by June 2024.
The DOH said the implementation could be earlier depending on the completion of operational details such as information technology system enhancements.