Senator Bong Go reminded the government to ensure the implementation of zero balance billing in key public hospitals as mentioned by the President in his latest State of the Nation Address (SONA).
As chair of the Senate Committee of Health and Demography and as part of his long-standing health reforms crusade, Go stressed the need to maximize the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) funds to ensure the Universal Health Care (UHC) law is implemented in full.
“Dapat po ma-maximize po ng PhilHealth and pondo nila… Ubusin ninyo ang pondo ninyo sa mahihirap nating pasyente.”
“Napakalayo pa natin sa full implementation of that law (referring to the Universal Health Care Act). Dapat po ma-maximize po ng PhilHealth and pondo nila… Ubusin ninyo ang pondo ninyo sa mahihirap nating pasyente,” the veteran legislator stressed.
The seasoned lawmaker cited that the Department of Health (DOH) hospitals have implemented zero balance billing, however, the same does not apply to other hospitals.
“Totoo naman po ‘yung zero balance billing sa mga charity ward. Iyung iba naman po kasi sa atin, ayaw sa government hospital, gusto nila sa private hospital. Nandoon ang mga espesyalista, nandoon iyung mga doktor nila. Hindi naman natin mapigilan dahil emergency po iyon at buhay po ang nakasalalay dito,” the senator stated.
While it is true that PhilHealth has increased case rates across the board to significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs for patients, the current benefit structure remains inadequate for patients burdened with high hospital bills.
He shared the troubling case involving a medical health officer from Camarines Norte who received only P57,000 in total PhilHealth support for hospital bills amounting to P10 million.
“Sa totoo lang po napakababa pa rin ng case rates ng Philhealth sa ngayon. For example, meron pong isang provincial health officer ng Camarines Norte, sa lugar ng kasamahan natin dito, Senator Robin. Four million ang hospital billing niya, ang sinagot ng PhilHealth ang P27,000, na-admit siya muli sa pangalawang pagkakataon, ang sinagot ng PhilHealth ay P30,000… total of P57,000 out of P10,000,000 (na total bill), and that is less than 1% of his billing. Namatay po siya, hindi po niya napakinabangan, dahil ang kontribusyon niya ay P200,000 na kinaltas sa sweldo niya. Ang napakinabangan niya ay P57,000, nalugi pa siya, namatay pa siya. At hindi lang po yun nangyayari sa iisang tao,” Go narrated.
He then asked: “Bakit nagtitipid ang PhilHealth? Pwede ninyo naman gamitin ito sa mga pasyente, eh ‘di wala kayong excess. Nakapa-simpleng logic naman po iyon.”
In this connection, Go called on PhilHealth to further expand its coverage and ease access to benefits.
“Kapag malaki ang sasagutin ng Philhealth, iko-cover ninyo, mas malaking tulong ‘yon na hindi na sila humingi ng guarantee letter, o magmamakaawa sa mga politiko para makahingi ng tulong,” he said.
For his part, Go proposed the institutionalization of the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) to ensure that funds are made available at the start of every fiscal year across all DOH hospitals and specialty centers.
“Hindi na po dapat lumapit sa politiko para humingi ng tulong sa kanilang pagpapa-hospital.”
“Isa sa aking priority ay nag-file po ako ng to institutionalize MAIP o MAIFIP, ito po para sa mga financially incapacitated or indigent patients, at dapat po walang pinipili. Ibig kong sabihin, kung sino po mahirap talaga siya ang makinabang nito. Hindi na po dapat lumapit sa politiko para humingi ng tulong sa kanilang pagpapa-hospital,” he explained.
Go filed SB 409 which, if enacted, seeks to institutionalize the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) Program, ensuring that funds are made available at the start of every fiscal year across all Department of Health (DOH) hospitals and specialty centers.
“This proposed measure seeks to reduce, if not eliminate, out-of-pocket expenditures of indigent and poor patients,” he explained.
The bill also mandates the availability of medical assistance in all public hospitals, strengthening the current system, minimizing bureaucratic delays in assistance delivery, and ensuring politics-free implementation.
Meanwhile, the 14 Senate hearings Go presided last year resulted in the lifting of the 45-day annual limit on hospitalizations for members and their dependents and the long-overdue scrapping of the Single Period of Confinement (SPC) policy, among others.
Go, in numerous Senate hearings, also called attention to the anti-poor 24-hour confinement rule, which prevented patients from availing of PhilHealth benefits unless confined for at least a day. This was addressed by improving emergency care benefits.
His numerous appeals in the Senate hearings also resulted in major enhancements to the Z Packages for kidney-related illnesses, where peritoneal dialysis and kidney transplantation now enjoy increased support. Additionally, reforms were implemented, including comprehensive packages for ischemic heart disease, from emergency intervention to post-surgery rehabilitation.
Under Go’s prodding, PhilHealth also pledged to expand its benefit offerings to include dental services, mental health care, outpatient drug coverage, diagnostic tests such as MRIs and CT scans, and medical transportation services. Coverage will also extend to assistive devices such as wheelchairs and crutches, chemotherapy for cancer patients, treatment for severe cardiac conditions, and a wide range of rehabilitation services.
“Gamitin sa wasto at sa tama at maibalik ang bawat piso, lalung lalo na sa mahihirap na pasyente. Ang kalusugan po ay katumbas po iyan ng bawat Pilipino. The more we should invest sa ating healthcare system,” he concluded.
