Photo credit: Bong Go

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go couldn’t hide his excitement as the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) announced the end of its controversial single period of confinement policy—a rule that had been a thorn in the side of many Filipinos for over a decade.

“Finally, nakikinig ang PhilHealth sa ating mga hinaing!” Senator Go exclaimed, expressing his gratitude for the change that will benefit thousands of patients across the country. He had been vocal about the issue, pushing for its removal during three separate Senate hearings.

So, what’s the big deal? Under this now-scrapped policy, if a patient was readmitted because of the same illness within a 90-day period, PhilHealth would only cover the expenses once. This meant that patients suffering from recurring or chronic conditions would bear the brunt of the cost themselves, adding even more stress to those already in difficult health situations.

“Para namang unfair and illogical, di ba?” Senator Go said, shaking his head. “We called it the ‘No Repeat Sakit’ policy for a reason—dahil nga ilang beses nang napatunayan na hindi ito makatarungan sa mga pasyenteng Pilipino.”

Senator Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, shared that he was glad to see the fruits of his advocacy finally making a difference. “Matagal na itong polisiya, 2013 pa, at ngayon lang nila napansin dahil nakita natin may problema dito,” he noted, recalling how he repeatedly highlighted the issue during Senate discussions. He even raised an eyebrow at PhilHealth’s timing, asking, “Bakit ngayon lang? Kasi napansin natin. Dahil may extra funds nga kayo.”

With this change, patients with conditions like pneumonia or pregnancy complications will no longer face the unfair restriction of being counted only once for coverage, even if complications recur within three months. “Imagine, you’re pregnant and experience complications like bleeding, tapos hindi na i-cover dahil sa isang beses lang pwede?” Senator Go remarked, emphasizing how the policy was especially harmful to those facing sensitive health issues.

Senator Go credited the collective efforts of his colleagues and PhilHealth’s willingness to address these concerns. He hopes this policy change is just the start of broader healthcare reforms.

“Para sa mga kapwa ko lingkod bayan, let’s remember—ang mga pangako ay dapat may kasamang aksyon at resulta. Ito pa lang ang simula,” he concluded, hinting that more improvements are on the way.