PhilHealth Offering Mental Health Package Soon

More than three years since she was diagnosed with anxiety and depression, 24-year-old Celia (not her real name) has been seeking consultation and taking medications for her mental health condition.

Celia, an employee from a publishing house, admitted that the much-needed medication and mental health services she gets from a private doctor is draining her wallet.

“Medication costs about P4,000 a month. There are people with mental condition who really need to take medication,” Celia told The Philippine Star / OneNews.PH in an interview on Monday, Feb. 20.

“There are also many who can't afford and are unable to take the medication which disturbs their treatment and this could worsen their mental condition,” she pointed out.

Aside from medication, Celia said a session with a psychologist costs about P2,000 and P4,000 with a psychiatrist. Some patients need to undergo therapy sessions twice a month.

“Definitely mas maganda kung meron kang financial or assistance na na-re-receive considering how expensive mental health services are,” she stressed.

Celia said the plan of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to offer mental health package is a welcome development for people with mental health conditions.

“Personally, I think this is a welcome development given that mental health services in the country are very expensive and many cannot afford it,” Celia explained.

Last week, PhilHealth president Emmanuel Ledesma announced that the agency is committed to introducing the outpatient package for mental health.

In an interview with One PH’s One Balita Pilipinas on Monday, PhilHealth spokesman Rey Baleña said the agency is targeting to come out and implement the mental health package this year and that a development team is working on the factors to be considered for this benefit.

“Sa kasalukuyan ay ang aming benefit development team ay nagsasagawa ng mga costing analysis, budget and acquirial impact assessment at gayun din kung ano ang mabuti na provider-payment design na ipapatupad sa pakete na ito,” Baleña said.

Baleña said PhilHealth will issue a circular providing the guidelines for the implementation of the mental health package.

PhilHealth, he added, is studying the possibility of covering screening, assessment, diagnostics, referral and follow-up under the package.

“Ngayon may mga gamot na napakaloob diyan…at kasama na rin ‘yung tinatawag na psycho-education at psycho-social support,” he added.

There are other services that PhilHealth is considering offering under the mental health package.

The Department of Health (DOH) is also exerting efforts to strengthen community-based mental health programs nationwide.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire previously reported that the DOH adopted a non-specialized approach to bring mental health services closer to the communities and help mainstream mental health issues in the country, and thus avoid discrimination.

She noted that stigma and discrimination prevent people from availing of the government’s mental health services and programs.

In recent years, the government has recorded an increase in the number of Filipinos with a mental health conditions. Incidence of suicide cases among Filipino students was also reported to be on the rise.

Findings of the 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFSS) showed that close to one in five youth aged 15 to 24 have considered ending their life.

The same study revealed that the percentage of youth who often feel depressive symptoms substantially increased from 2013 to 2021.

Before undergoing treatment, Celia said she suffered from quivering, tiredness, dark thoughts and sleeplessness.

 She also observed that feeling of sadness has become prevalent among her age group for the past years. “Hindi isang tao, majority of the people I have spoken to experience feelings of sadness," Celia disclosed.

However, Celia said she is not a professional and could not say whether such sadness felt by many people is normal or not.

Celia lamented that many of those who expressed having those sad feelings have not sought medical consultation. “Even those who have shown what I believe are symptoms shun seeking the help of professionals due to budgetary constraints,” she said.

Expensive as it is, Celia insisted that seeking the help of a medical professional made a huge impact on her life. She no longer experiences symptoms of her condition and could now deal with people better unlike in the past.

Celia hopes that other people with a similar condition will also have the chance to get better with the mental health package PhilHealth will soon offer.