The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has received praise for its recently approved additional hemodialysis sessions.

PhilHealth recently announced on social media that its Board of Directors approved raising the maximum number of sessions from 90 to 144 until the end of the year.

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday appealed to PhilHealth to raise the sessions further to 156 yearly and make it permanent.

“Malaking pasasalamat sa PhilHealth sa pagtugon sa panawagan natin ipagpatuloy ang coverage ng 144 dialysis sessions ngayong taon. Malaking tulong ito sa ating mga kababayan (A big thanks to PhilHealth for heeding our call to continue the coverage of 144 dialysis session this year. This is a big help for our countrymen),” Hontiveros said in a statement

Dialysis diverts blood to a machine for cleansing to remove waste products and excess fluid when the kidneys are not working properly.

Hontiveros vowed to refile her bill, seeking to institutionalize the provision of 144 dialysis sessions for senior citizens.

PhilHealth said it will issue the necessary guidelines for the added hemodialysis sessions through a circular.

“For the meantime, it is directing all its regional offices and concerned healthcare facilities to continue honoring all availments beyond the 90-session limit as duly prescribed by a PhilHealth accredited physician,” PhilHealth said in a statement. (PNA)