Mati City and PhilHealth Sign Agreement to Expand Mental Healthcare Benefits

Mati City – The city government of Mati and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) have formalized a partnership to enhance mental healthcare services for their members. The agreement was signed on Friday in Mati City.

According to Philippines News Agency, this collaboration marks the first of its kind between PhilHealth and a local government unit in the Philippines. The mental health package, which was initiated by PhilHealth in October 2023, offers benefits amounting to PHP9,000 and PHP16,000 per patient. Dr. Benhur Catbagan Jr., Mati health officer, highlighted that the city’s community-based mental healthcare facility is the third in the nation to be contracted by PhilHealth as a service provider for the outpatient benefit package. It is also the first LGU-initiated facility in the country to achieve this status. Dr. Catbagan emphasized the global challenge of accessing mental healthcare and detailed the local efforts to meet this crucial health need through significant challenges and sacrifices.