Landmark Philippine Universal Healthcare Law Signed

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Universal Health Care (UHC) bill into law last Wednesday, ensuring healthcare coverage for all Filipinos.

This new landmark law automatically enrolls all Filipinos in the National Health Insurance Program (NIHP) of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), either as direct or indirect contributors.

As explained in an earlier released infographic by the Department of Health (DOH), this new law automatically covers all Filipinos as PhilHealth members, either as contributory (i.e. the current standard premium contributions via payroll deductions), or as non-contributory (i.e. government-subsidised, from tax collections).

“By automatically [enrolling] our citizens into the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) and expanding PhilHealth coverage to include free medical consultations and laboratory tests, the Universal Healthcare Law that I sign today will guarantee equitable access to quality and affordable healthcare services for all Filipinos,” said Duterte in his speech during the ceremonial signing of the law in Malacañang.

All Filipinos now have access to affordable Health Services

By this new law, all Filipinos are now provided immediate eligibility and access to preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care for medical, dental, mental and emergency health services.

Aside from immediate access, all Filipinos will be given improved benefit packages that will reduce out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare. The private sector is also encouraged to become partners in the implementation of this new law.

According to the DOH, another salient feature of this law is the “registering of all primary health care providers and assigning all Filipinos within 3 years of passage of law.” PhilHealth will also be renamed to the Philippine Health Security Corporation, signaling their new role as the national purchaser of health services and emphasizing the government’s commitment to provide financial security in health services.

TRAIN as major source of funding for new UHC Law

A major source of the funding for the UHC are the excise tax hikes on tobacco and alcohol under the new Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo explains that the government will have to make do with existing revenue sources to fund this new law, while waiting for the budget from the full implementation of the TRAIN Law.

President Duterte also presented other newly-signed laws last Wednesday, including the Social Security Act of 2018, the Philippine Sports Training Center Act, the Act Providing for the Reapportionment of Southern Leyte into Two Legislative Districts and the New Central Bank Act.