(PhilHealth)

AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee has vowed to continue advocating for no balance billing (NBB) amid the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation's (PhilHealth) announcement that it would be increasing members' benefits by as much as 30 percent. 

"Alam natin na ang pangamba ng bawat pamilya ay ang magkasakit ang kanilang mga anak kasi takot sila na baka hindi nila kakayanin ang gastos para sa doktor at ospital," Lee said in a statement. 

(We know that it's the worry of every family for their children to get sick because they fear they may not be able to shoulder the doctor and hospital fees.) 

"Bagamat mayroon nang nakalatag na polisiya ang gobyerno para sa [NBB], hindi talaga ito natututukan at naipatutupad nang maayos," underscored the neophyte legislator. 

(Although the government already has policies in place for no balance billing, its monitoring and implementation have been poor.) 

The NBB is a policy of the government implemented through PhilHealth which ensures that qualified members shall not be charged or be forced to spend out-of-pocket for services that had been rendered to them in government hospitals and selected private hospitals that are PhilHealth-accredited. 

For Lee, poverty shouldn't be a hindrance for Filipinos to received proper medical treatment. 

"Dapat may kumpiyansa ang mga magulang na pag dinala nila ang kanilang mga anak sa ospital, hindi mauubos ang kita o ipon nila sa gamot o sa mga medical procedure. Pag lahat ng pamilya, mahirap o mayaman, nakakatanggap ng maayos na medical treatment, yan ang totoong Universal Health Care," he said. 

(Parents must be confident that once they bring their children to the hospital, their entire saving won't get spent on medicine or on medical procedures. True Universal Health Care is when each family, poor or rich, can receive proper medical treatment.) 

Lee in October wrote PhilHealth management and had recommended a 20 percent to 30 percent increase in all benefit packages and coverage provided by the corporation. He noted that rates had remained unchanged for over a decade. 

He had earlier pointed out in congressional budget hearings that PhilHealth was in a position to increase its benefits as it had P466 billion worth of investible funds and P68.4 billion in net income.