KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) — Patients needing peritoneal dialysis (PD) treatment can now avail of this health service from the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital (SCPH) with PhilHealth coverage.
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the management of SCPH signed a memorandum of agreement on May 16, allowing the hospital to offer peritoneal dialysis with PhilHealth’s Z benefit package.
The move makes the provincial hospital the first facility in the SOCCSKSARGEN region to provide this renal treatment with government health insurance coverage.
Regional vice president Dr. Hector Zenon Leonardo P. Malate signed the agreement for PhilHealth while Health Care Delivery and Management Division chief, Dr. Lizamar P. Banatao represented SCPH.
In a Facebook post, PhilHealth Regional Office 12 described this development as “a significant step forward in delivering accessible and life-saving renal care services to our fellow Filipinos, especially here in South Cotabato and neighboring areas.”
“This collaborative effort highlights our shared commitment to ensuring that patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have access to quality, affordable, and timely dialysis treatment options right at the provincial level,” it added.
In his message, Malate said this achievement is a testament to an extraordinary vision and determination, noting that SCPH’s dialysis center was only inaugurated in 2022 and its Chronic Kidney Clinic was only launched in 2024.
“Today, in this very same facility, South Cotabateños will now have access to life-sustaining peritoneal dialysis treatment, right here—close to our homes, close to our loved ones, close to our hearts,” he said.
“What does this mean for our community? It means that a mother with kidney disease can receive treatment while still being present for her children’s milestones. It means that a father can continue providing for his family without the overwhelming burden of medical expenses. It means that grandparents can watch their grandchildren grow without the exhaustion of traveling great distances for care,” Malate explained.
According to mayoclinic.org, peritoneal dialysis is a treatment for kidney failure where the kidneys can no longer filter blood effectively. It works by using the peritoneum (lining of the abdomen) as a natural filter to remove waste, toxins, and excess fluids from the blood.
Per PhilHealth Circular 2024-0036, the Z benefit package for peritoneal dialysis in the Philippines has been enhanced to provide up to P1.2 million in coverage effective January 2025.
For adult patients, coverage includes continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), ranging from P389,640 to P510,140, depending on the required PD solutions per day.
CAPD coverage for pediatric patients, on the other hand, ranges from P510,000 to P765,210, while automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) ranges from P763,000 to P1.2 million.
To qualify for the PD first Z benefit package, patients must meet the following criteria: they must have a properly placed permanent Tenckhoff peritoneal dialysis catheter; have completed the initiation of peritoneal dialysis with a contracted PD provider; be stable and adequately trained to perform PD at home; and have no abdominal wall diseases or inflammatory bowel diseases. (DED, PIA Region 12)
