The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said zero balance billing could be implemented in more hospitals nationwide when PhilHealth benefit packages are expanded.
“One of the things we are doing, together with President Edwin (Mercado), is increasing the PhilHealth benefit package,” Health Secretary Teodoro ‘Ted’ Herbosa said during the joint hearing of the Senate committees on Health and Demography and Finance.
“Once we raise the PhilHealth benefit package, I believe class 1 and class 2 LGUs can also implement zero balance. So, we will just need to assist the 4th class and 5th class,” Herbosa added.
The DOH also reported that the Department of Budget and Management already has cash ready to pay nearly P7 billion owed to healthcare workers under the Health Emergency Allowance, following Senator Bong Go’s repeated calls in the past.
“We will continue to focus on and fight for the health of our fellow Filipinos because I believe health is the wealth of every Filipino. Our work continues, and you can be assured we will not abandon you,” Go assured.
The hearing also reviewed efforts to combat systemic lupus erythematosus, the rising cases of leptospirosis in flood-prone communities, and the proposed PhilHealth Card Act as part of measures to improve access to health care.
