FREE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL FILIPINOS SOON A REALITY; FILIPINO FAMILIES TO SAVE THOUSANDS OF PESOS IN EXPENSES WITH LANDMARK UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE BILL

All Filipinos will soon be covered by free health insurance that would result to savings for households in terms of medical expenses and better facilities in state hospitals, Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said yesterday.

Ejercito, who chairs the committee on health and demography, The Senate is expected to approve the Universal Healthcare Bill anytime this month after President Duterte appealed to Congress to pass the measure.

"It's a great honor to craft this landmark bill--along with our fellow servants in government--in the name of each Filipino, who deserve to receive efficient, sufficient, accessible, and affordable health care from the government," Ejercito said.

He said under the bill, each Filipino is automatically covered or in the National Health Insurance Program as a direct or indirect contributor.

The bill also expanded the service coverage and strengthened the preventive and promotive aspects of health service.

"Our primary objective is to guarantee equal access to quality and affordable health services for each Filipino, along with ensuring that such will not be a financial burden."

He said the committee conducted hearings and consultations throughout the country, including Pangasinan, Davao and Albay provinces "to learn from our people of their true needs."

Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), he said the health expenditure of each Filipino rose by 8.7 percent in 2016. This means each Filipino spent more than P6,345 for his or her health that year compared to P5,840 in 2015.

Ejercito however said since the data was per capita, it does not really capture the burden of individual Filipinos, especially on families are hit with really heavy medical expenditures with members suffering from serious illnesses.

Of the total health expenditures, 54.2 percent of P342 billion are shoulder by families while only 34.2 percent or P216 billion are paid for by the government in 2016.

With the Universal Health Care Bill, each Filipino can save some P7,000 or more annually in expenses, depending on one's ailment or condition, Ejercito said.

He also said the bill will also address the lack of hospital beds in state medical facilities. During the course of committee hearings, the Department of Health (DOH) reported the government lacks over 42,000 hospitals to achieve its goal of one bed is to 800 population (1:800) ratio.

Ejercito said the measure also harmonizes and coordinates the duties and responsibilities of the DOH, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, local government units, and other concerned agencies to make sure all Filipinos are covered with free health care.

The landmark measure also creates the National Workforce for Health to improve the delivery of services publicly-owned or led medical facilities as well as grant health worker higher compensation, Ejercito said.