AGRI party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee is batting for the passage of his bill to institutionalize no-balancing billing in hospitals for “quality, affordable and compassionate health-care services.”
Lee stressed that illness should not cost the livelihood of a patient.
“No one should lose their livelihood or be further buried in poverty because of illness,” he said.
No-balance billing is a government policy implemented through the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. that guarantees that no fees or expenses shall be charged or paid by the qualified members seeking urgent medical care in accredited hospitals.
Under Lee’s House Bill No. 10245 or the No-Balance Billing Act, Filipinos are empowered to seek hospital care without any financial worries, improving health outcomes, and promoting equity in access to healthcare services.
The measure aims to ensure protection of financially unstable and disadvantaged patients from excessive medical expenses and promote expansion of the law to accommodate more people and health-care services.
HB 10245 provides that no balance billing policy should also cover all other membership types of the program who will avail of the maternity care and new-born care packages.
Despite the enactment of Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act, coverage gaps and high out-of-pocket expenses continue to make Filipinos afraid of getting sick as they fear sinking further into poverty due to their inability to afford medical treatment or hospital expenses, Lee noted.
“In fostering cooperation between the government and private healthcare institutions, timely payment mechanism is crucial. Through this measure, PhilHealth must pay private health institutions within 60 days. We must create an environment that incentivizes participation and guarantees quality care for all beneficiaries,” he stressed.