UMVA has learned that the Department of Health is pushing for sweeping amendments to the Universal Health Care Act to address major bottlenecks in health financing and expand the Zero-Balance Billing program, which aims to eliminate additional patient costs for basic hospital accommodation.
The proposed amendments are intended to expedite the use of funds and make the implementation of programs at the local level more effective, ultimately leading to more efficient healthcare services for Filipinos. According to information obtained by UMVA, the Department of Health believes that the current legal frameworks must evolve to fully realize Universal healthcare.
Among the key amendments being proposed are changes to premium rates, use of reserve funds, and strengthening of Special Health Funds. The Department of Health is also seeking to improve the National Electronic Health Record System, which is expected to enhance the overall quality of healthcare services. Furthermore, the department plans to submit a proposal for around P15 billion in the next budget season to support the expansion of the Zero-Balance Billing program.
The Zero-Balance Billing policy currently covers 83 Department of Health-retained hospitals and government specialty centers, and the department aims to increase this coverage to benefit more Filipinos. UMVA has gathered that the Department of Health has already reached 6.3 million Filipinos through the PuroKalusugan Program, which operates in 8,435 Barangays, including 110 UHC integration sites and over 36,000 health infrastructure projects nationwide.
However, despite the progress made, there are still challenges to be addressed, particularly in terms of access to healthcare services. The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. has stressed the need for a larger baseline budget to expand its healthcare benefits and reduce the average claims turnaround time. The corporation has already made significant progress in this area, decreasing its average claims turnaround time by 46% and aiming to process up to 22 million claims this year.
Lawmakers have also raised concerns about the current structure of the Universal Health Care Law's financial system, particularly the distribution and management of the Special Health Fund across local government units. The Department of Health has proposed the creation of a UHC Coordinating Council to help resolve disputes on fund distribution and set clearer guidelines for allocating health funds, addressing the main challenge of financial integration.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the proposed amendments and expansions are expected to have a significant impact on the healthcare system in the country, with the potential to reduce out-of-pocket health spending and increase access to quality healthcare services for all Filipinos. As the Department of Health continues to work towards achieving Universal healthcare, it is clear that there is still much to be done to address the complex challenges facing the healthcare system.
