PhilHealth coverage to include optometric services, prescription glasses by November
The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will cover its members' optometric services and prescription glasses starting in November.
This was shared by PhilHealth executive vice president Eli Dino Santos during the Senate Health and Demographic Joint Hearing on Oct. 2, in response to Senator Bong Go's question about the possibility of rolling out free eyeglasses to help prevent eye problems in children.
"As our part in the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach in the healthcare delivery system? Yes, in fact, Mr. Chairperson, we already committed to cover the prescription glasses as part of PhilHealth packages, and the date is November 2024," he said.
Santos added, "That's already part of our commitment and timeline."
The decision was made after Sen. Go, along with the Department of Health and the Integrated Philippine Association of Optometrists, represented by Dr. Charlie Ho, pointed out how crucial preventive eye care is. They emphasized that including optometric services and coverage for prescription eyeglasses in Philhealth would really help in catching eye and vision issues in kids early on.
According to Ho, many eye issues and even blindness are preventable with early intervention, especially for kindergarten students.
"Dapat po magkaroon na ng vision screening, in fact mayroon po tayong National Vision Screening Law where all kindergarten student supposed to go free vision screening and ito po ay because of early error of refraction," he said.
Ho added, "Mahalaga po na madetect po ng maaga yung kondisyon po ng bata because it affaects their learning."
The agency announced in September that it will be covering its members’ prescription glasses, crutches, walkers, and wheelchairs starting January 2025.
Rep. Erwin Tulfo said on Sept. 22 that House Speaker Martin Romualdez requested additional aid from PhilHealth officials.
“The PhilHealth management agreed to shoulder the cost of these starting next year. It has always been a problem of seniors and persons with disability, where their mobility is always a challenge,” Tulfo said, as per The Philippine STAR.
The ACT-CIS party-list representative added that this will help lessen the financial burdens of our indigent countrymen.
“Wheelchairs are the most in demand, particularly for senior citizens and PWDs. But we didn’t stop there, we also requested [PhilHealth officials] to include eyeglasses, crutches and walkers.”
According to Tulfo, PhilHealth has already agreed to bear the expenses for the equipment starting next year.
