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Manila Bulletin

All PWDs now covered by PhilHealth

All PWDs now covered by PhilHealth

By Patrick Garcia

By Argyll Cyrus Geducos President Duterte has signed into law a measure providing for the mandatory PhilHealth coverage of all persons with disability (PWDs).

The President signed Republic Act (RA) No. 11228 on February 22 and will take effect 15 days after it is published in the Official Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation. RA 11228, a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 1391 and House Bill No. 8014 amends RA 7277 (Magna Carta for Persons with Disability). The new law provides that all PWDs are now automatically covered by the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) of the PhilHealth. Premium contributions of all PWDs shall be paid by the national government provided that the premium contributions of PWD members in the formal economy shall be shared equally by their employers and the national government. The PhilHealth is also mandated to develop exclusive packages for PWDs that will address their specific health and development needs. The funds for the implementation of the new law shall be sourced from PhilHealth's National Health Insurance Fund earmarked from the proceeds of taxes from tobacco and alcohol. The Department of Health (DOH) is tasked to monitor the implementation of this law. Assisting the DOH are the departments of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Labor (DOLE), the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA), and local government units (LGUs). The PhilHealth, in consultation with the DOH, DSWD, DOLE, NCDA and LGUs, is tasked to craft the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) within three months after the law takes effect. Last month, Duterte signed the Universal Health Care Act which automatically enrolls all Filipinos to PhilHealth.

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