MANILA -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is now covering all outpatient emergency services in accredited Level 1, 2, and 3 hospitals.

In an advisory, the state health insurer said outpatient emergency services are covered under the facility-based emergency (FBE) benefit in line with the outpatient emergency care benefit package.

Hospitals no longer need to apply for separate accreditation as FBE provider since this is already part of their hospital accreditation. However, extension facilities that offer FBE services should submit a certification with its name and address to the nearest PhilHealth regional offices for updating.

PhilHealth earlier this month said it needed more accredited medical facilities as it sought to expand its health coverage to millions of Filipinos.

Medical facilities told to seek accreditation as PhilHealth expands benefits

The state-owned firm said it was working on covering ambulance services for the pre-hospital emergency benefit.

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A lawmaker in January urged PhilHealth to revise its policies and requirements in claims processing to reduce the number of denied and return-to-hospital (RTH) claims. 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Health to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of PhilHealth benefits, after lawmakers at the bicameral conference committee stripped government subsidy for the state health insurer in the 2025 national budget.

Marcos says PhilHealth has enough funds despite zero subsidy