• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Senator Juan Victor ‘JV’ Ejercito, principal author of the Universal Health Care Law, which was passed in 2019, is hopeful that the zero-balance policy in government hospitals will be enforced.
This follows the announcement of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., during his fourth State Of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, that the government will implement the zero-balance billing to ease the financial burden on patients who require medical care
The medical assistance is funded by the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), and by the allocation to DOH hospitals, the President said.
The assistance is on top of the financial support from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
This is what UHC is all about, which is to lower the out of pocket expenses of every Filipino, giving them access to good quality health care for all, without the financial burden, Ejercito said.
As the author of the landmark legislation (UHC), I am very happy. Finally, it will be felt by the people. They will already feel that the government is there, every time they need assistance, especially medical expenses, he added.
President Marcos also announced that PhilHealth now covers the costs of open-heart surgery, as well as heart valve repair or replacement.
For kidney transplants, the coverage limit was increased to PhP2.1 million from PhP600,000.
Moreover, PhilHealth now covers services and medication for post-operative kidney transplant.
For severe dengue cases, PhilHealth coverage was increased to PhP47,000, while the limit for cataract operations was adjusted to PhP187,000 from PhP16,000, the President said.
PhilHealth also pays for the therapy and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and their “assistive mobility devices,” defined as any device prescribed and adapted to improve safe and functional mobility towards social participation.
Ejercito called on his fellow lawmakers and President Marcos to pass Senate Bill No. 1, which contains the P74.4 billion budget of PhilHealth for this year.
This will be the key to increase the 60 to 70 percent share of PhilHealth on every hospital bill, to lessen the financial burden of millions of Filipinos getting sick.*
