The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) supports the Breast Cancer Awareness month, an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.
Globally, breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women, impacting 2.1 million women each year, and also causes the greatest number of cancer-related deaths among women.
In the Philippines, breast cancer accounts for 16 percent of all cancer diagnosis, and about 30 percent of cancer cases among women according to the recent data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. It is also estimated that three out of 100 Filipino women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
To aggressively reduce household out-of-pocket health care costs, PhilHealth came up with a benefit for breast cancer patients that will not just cover hospital expenses, but also ensure totality of care and attainment of better health outcomes.
Under its Z Benefit Package, PhilHealth members are totally assured of compensability of benefits once treated for breast cancer, an illness which is considered catastrophic in nature. The package rate for breast cancer, stage 0 to III-A is Php 100,000. Complete treatment covers payment for hospital room and board fees, drugs and laboratory exams, operating room and professional fees for the entire course of treatment, including mandatory and other services required for the said illness.
As of June 30, 2019, some 485 claims were paid by PhilHealth amounting to more than P23 M for breast cancer alone.
While we see PhilHealth as our partner in providing support to the high cost of medical care, everyone plays an important role in promoting awareness and prevention of breast cancer. (END)
