Manila, March 20 -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has lifted the 45-day benefit limit to ensure its services remain unhampered.

"The 45-day benefit limit is an outdated cost-containment strategy. Naiintindihan natin kung bakit ito inilagay noon, ngunit, sa pagbabago ng ating payment mechanism, napapanahon na rin talagang repormahin ito (We understand why this was placed before, but with the change of our payment mechanism, it is timely to reform this)," PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Edwin Mercado said in a news release Thursday.

He noted that medical needs cannot "always be predicted or scheduled."

"Marami ring mga serbisyo ang kinakailangan ng higit sa 45 days na coverage. Kaya naman nagpapasala...