The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will provide free annual mammogram and ultrasound services to Filipino women starting this July, House Speaker Martin Romualdez announced on Tuesday.
"I commend PhilHealth for their swift action in responding to our call to provide free mammogram and ultrasound examinations to our women. This initiative reflects the commitment of the administration of President Marcos to prioritize the health and well-being of Filipino women, ensuring access to crucial preventive care," Romualdez said in a statement.
“This is the best news we can give to the Filipino women, especially during Women’s Month,” he added.
The announcement coincides with the celebration of Women's Month in March.
On Monday, Romualdez met with ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Erwin Tulfo and PhilHealth officials headed by its president and chief executive officer, Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. to seek updates regarding the request of the Congress for the implementation of the free services.
Offering essential services for free could help in the early detection of various health concerns for women such as breast cancer, the House Speaker noted.
The Department of Health (DOH) mirrored Romualdez's statement, recommending to the state insurer to add ultrasound and mammogram services to its Konsulta package.
