A measure that seeks to include mental healthcare benefits under the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s (PhilHealth) coverage was filed Sunday, October 20.
Proposed by House Deputy Speaker and Las Piñas City Representative Camille A. Villar, House Bill (HB) No. 10934 aims to expand PhilHealth’s coverage by incorporating psychiatric, neurological, and emergency services for mental health illnesses.
“It is the hope of this bill to increase labor productivity and efficiency and raise awareness of the importance of mental health not only for the individual well-being of the employees but also to the overall health and well-being of our nation,” Villar said.
“This bill also addresses the rising costs of mental health treatment by mandating an appropriate increase in PhilHealth’s benefit package taking into consideration the current costs in medical services,” she added.
Villar also filed in the House of Representatives HB No. 10929, aimed at providing a three-day mental health wellness leave for both public and private sector employees.
Villar said that according to data from the Mental Health Strategic Plan 2019-2023 by the Philippine Council for Mental Health, approximately 3.3 million Filipinos (3.3%) suffer from depression, and the suicide mortality rate stands at 3.2 per 100,000 Filipinos.
