Philippines rejects PhilHealth plan to delay Universal Health Care Act

  MANILA – The Philippine government on Thursday (June 18) rejected a plan of state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to delay the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said PhilHealth’s bid to postpone the full implementation of the UHC Act is a violation of the law. “This violates the literal provision of the law, as well as the intention,” Roque said in Filipino during a virtual press briefing aired on state-run PTV-4. Roque made the statement after PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales, during a joint congressional committee hearing on Tuesday, stressed the need for a “general delay” of UHC implementation, as he forecast a budget deficit for the agency until 2024. Morales noted that PhilHealth is expected to lose around P40.7 billion from February this year until January 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Roque opposed Morales’ proposal, stressing that the full implementation of UHC should proceed as planned. He also noted that PhilHealth’s funds are not enough to provide Filipinos an efficient delivery of health services. “We will not be able to protect the Filipinos’ right to health if we only rely on PhilHealth’s premiums,” Roque said. The UCH, inked by Duterte on February 20, 2019, intends to protect and promote the right to health of all Filipinos by automatically enrolling them in the government’s health insurance program. In May, Overseas Filipino Workers had raised alarm after PhilHealth released an advisory reminding them of a mandatory increase in premiums. An online petition opposing the move drew thousands of signatures. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte later ordered PhilHealth to make payments voluntary for OFWs, effectively barring the health agency to impose mandatory collection of payments. The UHC is meant to give every Filipino the highest possible quality of health care that is accessible, efficient, equitably distributed, adequately funded, fairly financed, and appropriately used. Roque said PhilHealth should ensure the full implementation of UHC law. “I’m not warning. It’s just that it is the law that has to be implemented,” he said. Roque said the full implementation of UHC law would not be successful if corruption continues to hound PhilHealth. In June last year, Duterte asked then PhilHealth acting president Roy Ferrer and board members to resign amid allegations of irregularities. Roque said it would be better to tap a new government office that would implement the UHC law if PhilHealth is unable to do so. ICA/PNA/Expat Media
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