MANILA – The Universal Health Care bill has hurdled the bicameral conference committee.
Sen. Jose Victor Ejercito, principal author, assured that the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has a steady source of funds to sustain the measure once enacted into law.
President Rodrigo Duterte certified the measure as urgent in July.
“This is a historic day and everybody is happy,” Ejercito said Tuesday. “We just need to ratify the measure and then hopefully maipadala sa Office of the President for review and for President Duterte to sign it into law.”
All Filipinos will be automatically enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program either as direct contributor (those who have the capacity to pay premiums) or indirect contributor (those sponsored by the government such as indigents and senior citizens), the bill stated.
They may also avail themselves of primary health care services even without a PhilHealth identification card, it added.
Moreover the measure also provides for the improvement of doctor-to-patient ratio, the upgrade of hospital bed capacities and equipment, and the establishment of hospitals in remote areas.
The BiCam approved a provision stating that funds will be sourced from incremental sin tax collections, as provided for in Republic Act 10351, and 50 percent of the national government share from the income of the Philippine Gaming Corp.
Other sources were 40 percent of the Charity Fund, net of the Documentary Stamp Tax Payment, and mandatory contributions of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, premium contributions of members, annual appropriations for the Department of Health, and national government subsidy to PhilHealth included in the General Appropriations Act.
Funds will be transferred to PhilHealth and used to improve its benefit packages.
“Magandang pamasko ito sa mga Pilipino kapag naging batas ngayon,” Ejercito said. “Sa UHC, lahat ng Pilipino ay covered ng national health insurance program kaya abot-kaya na sa bulsa ang pagpapagamot.”/PN
