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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Herrera eyes law on medical aid for poor Pinoys confined in private hospitals

Herrera eyes law on medical aid for poor Pinoys confined in private hospitals

Published Apr 1, 2022 06:12 am

A deputy speaker in the House of Representatives has underscored the need to institutionalize medical aid for indigent patients confined in private hospitals.

(Martha Dominguez de Gouveia/ Unsplash)

“Ang concept ko kasi rito (My concept here) is we have a very efficient medical assistance program in place. The DOH (Department of Health) and DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) have that," Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera said during a recent news forum in Manila.

"Sa public hospitals deretso ‘yan, walang problema. Nakakalabas na ang mga pasyente na walang binabayaran. Sa private po, kailangan may MOA (memorandum of agreement) ang private hospitals with government (There's no problem when it comes to private hospitals. Patients get discharged without paying anything. In private hospitals, the government needs a MOA)," she noted.

The House leader said that such MOA would be a mechanism for government to put funds in private hospitals so that in cases of emergency where there are no public hospitals available, the government can still shoulder the hospital bills for Filipinos via the Universal Health Care Law and the medical assistance program.

Herrera said the Covid-19 experience has made it more imperative for government to expand its medical assistance program to include indigent patients confined in private hospitals not by their own choosing. Confinement at private hospitals is typically more expensive than being admitted to public hospitals.

“Nitong pandemic nakita natin na napupuno ang public hospitals, walang choice ‘yung ating mga constituents (We saw during this pandemic how the public hospitals got filled up, our constituents had no choice) but to go to the private hospitals,” she pointed out.

Herrera said that an administrative order is not enough that’s why she wants to push for the passage of a law institutionalizing government medical assistance in private hospitals.

“Kaya excited po akong bumalik sa Kongreso para magkaroon talaga ng magandang partnership ang private hospitals at ang government (That's why I'm excited to go back to Congress and see to it that there would be a good partnership between the government and private hospitals) to help private hospitals as well on the condition that government has to pay on time. Pay on time dahil kawawa rin ang mga pribadong ospital (Private hospitals must be paid on time or they will be at a disadvantage).

"So, it has to be legislated,” explained Herrera, who is seeking a third consecutive in thre House of Representatives.

Related Tags

40122 indigents covid-19 poor Medical assistance medical aid bagong Henerasyon DSWD bernadette herrera doh
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