By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assured the public that they no longer have to pay for basic accommodation services in Department of Health (DOH) hospitals.
This as the President announced the “zero balance billing” initiative, which is funded by the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation. (PAGCOR), and by the allocation to DOH hospitals.
“Areglado na ang lahat sa ospital pa lang. Wala nang kailangan pang puntahan o lapitan pa. Ibig sabihin, ang serbisyo sa basic accommodation sa ating mga DOH na ospital wala nang babayaran ang pasyente dahil bayad na ang bill ninyo,” he said, noting that the MAIFIP have helped over 11 million Filipinos who had sought medical assistance.
Marcos Jr. also touted various government achievements on health as well as the expanded packages of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
PhilHealth’s improved benefits include free health services for heart attack, open heart surgery, and heart valve repair or replacement; eye checkup and treatment for children; rehabilitation and therapy sessions for persons with disabilities (PWDs); vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV); and other outpatient services.
For cancer patients, patients can rely on the government’s Cancer Assistance Fund.
“Para naman sa ibang mga klase ng kanser na hindi sakop ng PhilHealth, mayroon din tayong nilaang [P1.7 bilyong] piso para pambili ng mga kinakailangang gamot para sa pasyente,” he said.
PhilHealth has also increased its assistance for kidney transplant patients, allotting P2.1 million to cover the operation from the previous limit of P600,000. The state health insurer now also covers services and medication for post-operative kidney transplant.
Dialysis sessions, which are usually scheduled thrice a week, and related medications are now free, the President added.
For dengue patients, PhilHealth’s coverage limit was also raised to P47,000, while cataract removal now has a P187,000 limit.
“Pinabibilis pa natin ang proseso ng pagbabayad ng PhilHealth sa mga ospital at mga klinika, para naman siguradong maayos at hindi naaantala ang kanilang serbisyo sa mga pasyente,” Marcos continued.
All towns now have doctors; more BUCAS centers to open nationwide
In line with the administration’s effort to make quality healthcare more affordable and accessible for all Filipinos, the Chief Executive also shared that all towns in the Philippines now have doctors, as he vowed to establish more Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) centers across the country.
“Mayroon nang magiging tagapag-alaga—mayroon nang tagapag-alaga ng kalusugan ng mamamayan sa inyong lugar,” he noted.
Over the past three years, at least 53 BUCAS centers have been established in 32 provinces—bringing essential health services such as X-ray, checkups, and laboratory tests closer to the people.
“Asahan ninyo, marami pa ang ating bubuksan na BUCAS.”
-jpv
