New PhilHealth chief pushes stronger primary care to sustain benefits

Abi Sarabia M., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
August 21, 2026

Photo courtesy: PhilHealth Facebook Page

MANILA, Philippines — New PhilHealth president and CEO Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho said a stronger primary care system is needed to keep expanding health benefits without putting too much pressure on the state insurer’s finances.

Ho said preventive care could help reduce spending on costly treatments such as dialysis, which accounts for at least 15 percent of PhilHealth’s benefit payouts.

“Dialysis takes up 15 percent or more of our benefit payouts,” Ho said. “But the reality is, do we really need to spend that much for dialysis?”

She said better prevention, including healthier diets and lower salt intake, could reduce the number of people who eventually need dialysis.

Ho also said PhilHealth needs continued government funding to cover premiums for members whose contributions are subsidized.

For paying members, she stressed the importance of regular premium contributions to help sustain and expand PhilHealth benefits.

Ho said PhilHealth will also work closely with the Department of Health under a Unified National Agenda for Health to avoid overlapping programs.

She cited the expansion of PhilHealth’s Yakap program in schools and workplaces as one way to improve access to consultations, medicines and other primary care services.

Ho did not give a timeline for specific reforms to PhilHealth’s primary care system.