PhilHealth has paid out 48.7 billion pesos in claims for dialysis alone, and it keeps growing
*Wait, what? Is everyone getting dialysis?*
According to PhilHealth's latest data (https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/about_us/statsncharts/SNC2026_1stSem.pdf), claims paid from January to June 2026, meaning the first six months of this year, total 201 billion pesos. Of that 201 billion, 48.7 billion, almost 25%, went to dialysis alone. Yes, just for Filipinos' dialysis costs. That's 5.4 million claims.
Both the amount and the number of claims are staggering, but according to PhilHealth's 2025 data (https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/about_us/statsncharts/SNC_2025_20260623.pdf), dialysis claims paid came to 71.6 billion pesos, with 7.2 million claims. So even though this is the latest data from before the year is even half over, it's likely to surpass 2025's dialysis amount and claim count. It's clearly a rising trend.
Under PhilHealth Circular 2024-0023 (https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/circulars/2024/PC2024-0023.pdf), PhilHealth currently covers 6,350 pesos per dialysis session, up to a maximum of 156 sessions per patient per year.
Is this good news or bad news? It could be good news, since people who previously couldn't afford dialysis can now get it thanks to PhilHealth's increased coverage. On the other hand, it's also bad news, because it seems like most of PhilHealth's money is going to dialysis alone, and CKD (chronic kidney disease) isn't the only illness in the Philippines. It feels like people are just paying their PhilHealth contributions so they can get dialysis.
Our diet says it all. Tons of sodium, full of instant food. Not surprised at all. Still, it's better that people with CKD don't have to worry about dialysis costs. Better that people get back what they paid into PhilHealth than have the money leak to corrupt people. I wish the DOH would see this and do something about our diet.
Other doctors say CKD patients are getting younger. Some people are on dialysis before they're even 30 😢
Preventive medicine is underfunded and underused.
This might sound biased, but my mom and my lolo were both diagnosed with CKD. Still, I don't want to complain if what we pay into PhilHealth benefits people who can't afford dialysis. Especially since the surge in CKD patients in the Philippines is really huge. What if that happens to me too? What if I end up needing to use PhilHealth?
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