BAGUIO CITY – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is now providing a benefit package for outpatient therapeutic care for severe acute malnutrition for children sixty months old and below.
Under PhilHealth Circular No. 2024-0017, for children aged zero to six months, the benefit package amounts to PhP7,500 where tranche one that includes initial assessment will be provided with PhP1,500 while the second tranche that includes follow up visit with a maximum of 15 visits will be provided with a total of PhP6,000.
For children aged six months to sixty months, the benefit package is PhP17,000 where the first tranche that includes initial assessment will be granted PhP2,000 while the second tranche that includes a maximum of 15 visits will be provided with PhP15,000.
The targeted health facilities shall be the Konsulta package providers, barangay health stations, rural health units, city health offices and provincial health offices with training on Philippine Integrated management for Acute Malnutrition (PIMAM).
The mandatory services for children aged zero to six months that will be covered by the benefit package include assessment for severe acute malnutrition anthropometric and clinical; counselling such infant and young child feeding counselling and support for exclusive breastfeeding, nutritional counselling, water, sanitation and hygiene and child development and nurturing care; and follow-up visit that includes weekly home visits and surveillance while the other services are referral to inpatient therapeutic care and medical complications, maternal health, mental and social well-being check.
For those aged six months to sixty months old, the mandatory services are assessment for severe acute malnutrition; counselling; commodities and follow-up visits while the other services are medicines and medical supplies, referral to inpatient therapeutic care and medical complications, maternal health, mental and social well-being check.
This circular aims to provide clear rules for implementing the outpatient benefit package for severely acute malnutrition among children 60 months old and below. It also ensures equitable and quality health care delivery for severe acute malnutrition among children, promoting access to essential services.
Among the key features of the benefit package are community mobilization, active case findings, nutrition and medical management, routine follow up visits, continuity of care, no co-payment availability and 45-day annual benefit limit.
Severe acute malnutrition is a critical global issue affecting millions of children worldwide, requiring urgent attention and action. The Philippines faces a significant burden of child wasting, with over 1.5 million children suffering from severe wasting, placing it among the countries with highest burden in the East Asia and Pacific region.
The economic impact of severe acute malnutrition in the country is substantial estimated $221.9 million annually, highlighting the need for effective interventions.
Republic Act (RA) 11148 or the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act and the Department of Health Administrative Order No. 215-0055 provided the policy framework for managing acute malnutrition among children. By Dexter A. See
