NOTE: THIS PRESS RELEASE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.
The Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) has ensured affordable rates for dialysis treatment in the hospitals and facilities it owns.
In line with PGBh’s Strategic Change Agenda on health and social services, Governor Aris Aumentado signed Provincial Ordinance No. 2023-004 on June 9, 2023, establishing the rates of hemodialysis treatment services in PGBh-owned hospitals and facilities.
According to First District Board Member Aldner Damalerio, who authored the legislation in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the ordinance guarantees one of the most affordable dialysis rates in the province.
Under the ordinance, a rate of P2,600 shall be collected from PhilHealth (PHIC) patients, the amount equivalent to the PhilHealth case rate for dialysis and covering supplies needed for the procedure, following the prescribed number of procedures, after which the amount will be collected as the patient’s personal expense.
One thousand pesos (P1,000) will be paid on top of the PHIC case rate for erythropoietin injection, sterile gloves, tourniquets, surgical face masks, disposable surgical head caps, disposable gowns, and face shields.
For non-PHIC patients, the rate for a new dialyzer is set at P4,800 for patients without PHIC and P2,200 for those with PHIC. For re-use dialyzers, the rate is P3,600 for patients without PHIC and P1,000 for patients with PHIC. Meanwhile, the professional fee for the nephrologist is set at P350.
A dialysis patient is also able to choose their schedule of payment, either by the actual rate of payment, where they pay the actual rate of every dialysis treatment, or by the pass-on rate per treatment, where a patient pays for a dialysis package treatment over a period of one year, including the cost for necessary laboratory tests.
Senior citizens, persons with disabilities, provincial government officers, and regular employees shall be granted a maximum of 20% discount on the total amount of the treatment service fee and laboratory test fee.
A cost-sharing scheme is also allowed when a department or another local government unit in the province, the national government, or a private agency guarantees to pay a share of the dialysis cost subject to guidelines on the classification of patients and availing of medical social services and guided by a memorandum of agreement.
At present, the Garcia Memorial Provincial Hospital in Talibon is running a dialysis center. The PGBh will also open the Bohol Provincial Diagnostic and Ambulatory Care Center at the Capitol Annex.
Damalerio reported after an inspection with Dr. Fruserma Uy of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) that the building and dialysis machines are ready and the facility is awaiting a DOH license to operate. (PIMO/LMS)