“The DOH has allocated P328 million to 22 tertiary hospitals to cover the medical expenses of patients”
IN DRY or rainy season in the Philippines, the health care system generally is improving, but faces challenges with disparities between urban and rural areas as well as funding constraints.
Authorities say the system aims to provide universal access to quality health care through initiatives like the Universal Health Care Act and PhilHealth.
As of January last year, there were over 25,800 Barangay Health Stations and about 4,000 birthing homes. In addition, there were 1,351 hospitals, 1,689 drug testing laboratories, and 170 medical facilities for overseas workers and seafarers
While PhilHealth aims for universal coverage, a significant portion of the Filipino population still faces challenges in accessing healthcare and hospitalization, with approximately 50 percent not having timely access to primary healthcare facilities, the standard 30-minute time frame set by the government.
The Philippines Hospital Market was valued at $12 billion in 2023 and is is predicted to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 8.1 percent from 2023 to 2030, to $20.87 billion by 2030. The key drivers of this industry include rise in geriatric population, increasing demand for healthcare services, and medical tourism.
We note government hospitals have started implementing President Marcos Jr.’s order to the Department of Health to cover the costs of all inpatient, outpatient and emergency services in 22 public hospitals nationwide through the administration’s “Zero Billing” program.
The DOH has allocated P328 million to 22 tertiary hospitals to cover the medical expenses of patients.
Under the “Zero Billing” program, the government will cover all hospital bills, drugs, medicines, and medical services like chemotherapy, dental services, dialysis, implants, laboratory and diagnostic procedures, as well as therapy and rehabilitative services.
“Zero Billing” is implemented in eight public tertiary hospitals in Metro Manila, including the East Avenue Medical Center, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, and the National Kidney and Transplant Institute.
Patients from the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Philippine General Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, and the Philippine Orthopedic Center also benefit from the program.
There are also city government’s which have implemented the “Zero Billing” progeam, like Cebu City and Pasig City in the metropolis.
In Cebu City, patients in two public hospitals can avail themselves of the zero-balance billing through PhilHealth and Malasakit program amid significant increases in hospital fees, with local officials saying hospital fees would rather increase the reimbursable fees to be shouldered by PhilHealth while the patients pay nothing upon discharge from the Cebu City Medical Center and Guba Community Hospital.
In Metro Manila, the Pasig City government has also implemented a “No Balance Billing” policy, meaning residents admitted to the Pasig City Government Hospital and Pasig City Children’s Hospital do not pay a single centavo when discharged.
Official sources said the local government has sought as many ways as possible to provide quality and accessible healthcare to its residents, especially at times of major community health upheavals.
From free x-rays, children’s vaccinations, and access to doctors’ consultations, there have been many avenues for Pasigueños to receive the high standard of healthcare they deserve.
The City offers health services through four main centers with various specializations: Pasig City Children’s Hospital; Center for Dialysis, Health Lifestyle, Ambulatory Surgery, Maternity and Newborn Care of Pasig City; Pasig City General Hospital; and Hospice Home Care Program
But there are some, speaking on condition of anonymity, who said while confinement at the PCGH and the PCCH is free, patients still have to pay for medicines prescribed by their attending doctors which they say are not available in the government hospitals’ pharmacy outlets.
“Libre nga ang gamot, pero wala namang suplay. Para gumaling ang pasyente kailangang gumastos ang pamilya para mabili ang mga gamot sa pribadong botika,” one said.
(The medicines prescribed are free in the hospital. But there are no supplies. To address the patients’ health they have to cash out and buy the prescribed medicines in private drugstores.)
Pasig City, which has a revenue of ₱14,913 million and assets of ₱51,688 million in 2022,has a population of nearly 803,200, with poverty incidence in 2023 pegged at 2.1 percent.
We tried to check with both city government hospitals for comment, but there has been no reply.