ALEGISLATOR has filed a bill seeking to require the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to develop a dedicated benefit package for the screening, diagnosis and treatment of postpartum mental health conditions.
Under House Bill 8617, Parañaque Rep. Brian Yamsuan aims to address the mental health challenges women face after childbirth, which are often overlooked or dismissed as a normal part of motherhood.
Yamsuan said his proposed legislation under House Bill 8617 addresses the mental health struggles of women after pregnancy, which are often neglected or dismissed as a natural occurrence of childbirth.
‘Postpartum depression, anxiety or stress should not simply be ignored. This is a vulnerable stage in a mother’s life. It is essential that they are not left to face these challenges alone,’ Yamsuan said.
He noted that while PhilHealth offers benefit packages for general and specialized mental health services, it does not have a dedicated package specifically covering the screening and diagnosis of postpartum mental health conditions.
To address this gap, HB 8617 proposes PhilHealth coverage for routine screening, diagnosis and treatment of postpartum mental health disorders, including postpartum blues, depression and psychosis.
The measure also directs the Department of Health (DOH) and PhilHealth to conduct a nationwide information campaign to raise public awareness of postpartum mental health concerns and promote access to available government support services.
‘We recently marked National Mental Health Week, but we hardly heard anything about postpartum mental health, which also deserves attention,’ Yamsuan said.
He said the proposed information campaign would educate mothers on the importance of postpartum care and inform them where to seek assistance, including through the PhilHealth benefit package envisioned under the bill.
Yamsuan said fear of stigma, judgment and expectations that mothers should remain strong and resilient often discourages women from seeking help for postpartum depression, anxiety and stress.
A study cited in the proposal found that at least three in five pregnant or postpartum Filipino women experienced clinically significant depressive symptoms. The study also indicated that younger women and single mothers face a higher risk of postpartum depression.
Meanwhile, surveys conducted among mothers in several government hospitals in the Philippines found varying rates of postpartum depression, ranging from 14.5 percent to 22.61 percent and as high as 32.8 percent.