House approves Universal Health Coverage bill

September 6, 2017

The House of Representatives approved Wednesday on third and final reading the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) bill which seeks to provide a better health system.

House Deputy Minority Leader and Kabayan party-list Rep. Harry Roque said the passage of House Bill (HB) No. 5784 or the UHC was a golden opportunity for change in the health sector.

“This bill is groundbreaking because with it, every Filipino is granted the right to health by virtue of citizenship. It provides health security to Filipinos not because they can pay premiums, but simply because they are Filipinos,” Roque added.

Roque said one of the key features of HB 4784 is it enables all individuals and communities to receive health services they need, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.

“This includes inpatient, outpatient, and emergency care services encompassing preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative medical, dental, and mental health services,” the lawmaker stressed.

Under the proposed UHC Bill, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is also reconstituted into the Philippine Health Security Corporation (PHSC) to be the national purchaser of health services.

“UHC membership will be categorized into two: contributory, or those who pay such as public and private workers; and non-contributory workers, or those who give no contributions such as indigents,” Roque explained.

HB 4784 provides for the adoption and institutionalization of Health Technology Assessment and the creation of the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC).

HTA denotes any process of examining or reporting properties of a medical technology used in health care, including safety, efficacy, feasibility, and indications for use; cost-effectiveness; as well as social, economic, and ethical consequences, whether intended or unintended.

“HB 5784 provides for the institutionalization of HTA to guide decision makers, particularly in the procurement of medical devices, commodities, drugs, and vaccines. The HTAC will serve as advisory body to the Health Secretary and the Board of Directors of the PHSC on the priority entitlements for universal health coverage,” the lawmaker said.

Another key feature of the bill is the mandating of income retention for all government health facilities.

Roque explained the bill authorizes Department of Health (DOH)-retained hospitals, specialty hospitals, and LGU-hospitals to utilize 100 percent of their income to enhance their capacity and improve the quality of their services. DMS