THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is expanding its No Co-Payment Policy to more private hospitals, with St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City (SLMC-GC) committing 53 beds for eligible patients.
A memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed by PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Beverly C. Ho and SLMC-GC President and CEO Dr. Dennis P. Serrano on Tuesday.
It was witnessed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who encouraged more hospitals to partner with PhilHealth on similar undertakings.
The agreement will enable PhilHealth members to access inpatient benefit packages at SLMC-GC without additional out-of-pocket payments under the state insurer’s No Co-Payment Policy or No Balance Billing (NBB) program.
The hospital will also provide assistance to PhilHealth members to navigate their benefits, complete requirements and process the necessary documentation.
‘May this partnership be just the beginning, and that the rest of St. Luke’s network, as well as other private hospitals, follow suit and find this partnership worth emulating,’ Ho said during the signing ceremony.
SLMC-GC Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Director Dr. Anthony R. Perez said the hospital is prepared to accommodate NBB patients, as the facility will distribute the beds across different floors and room configurations instead of placing beneficiaries in a single charity ward.
‘We intend to provide this particular subset of patients the same care given to our paying patients,’ Perez said in a separate media briefing.
Currently, the agreement covers SLMC-GC in Bonifacio Global City. Perez said the hospital’s branch along E. Rodriguez Avenue in Quezon City will also soon offer beds for NBB patients.
Administration’s commitment
‘This administration remains committed to making quality health care accessible and affordable to more Filipinos,’ President Marcos said during the ceremony.
‘But we in government cannot do this alone, and that is why we welcome the private sector’s participation in helping us deliver better health outcomes and provide much-needed relief to our patients and their families,’ he added.
Beyond partnerships with private hospitals, Marcos said the government is also strengthening its programs that help reduce the financial burden of medical care, such as through Zero Balance Billing in hospitals under the supervision of the Department of Health (DOH).
The DOH also offers the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients Program, while PhilHealth provides free consultation, laboratory tests and medicines through its ‘Yaman ng Kalusugan Program’ or Yakap.
Marcos urged other private hospitals to also partner with PhilHealth so they can make their medical services accessible to more Filipinos through the government’s No Co-Payment Policy.
Under the MOA, St. Luke’s will initially provide 53 beds for PhilHealth members, which will require specialized treatments through the No Co-Payment Policy of the government.
‘By joining this effort, St. Luke’s also sends an important message: that quality care in leading private hospitals can be made more accessible to qualified PhilHealth members, and that both government and the private sector have a role in making Universal Health Care work,’ Marcos said in his statement after the MOA signing event.
‘We encourage more hospitals across the country to support PhilHealth in advancing Universal Health Care by embracing the No Co-Payment Policy. Together, let us ensure that no Filipino is denied the care that they need only because of financial hardship,’ Marcos said.
‘These are the new initiatives we are undertaking to further expand the support we provide to our patients and to strengthen and improve our healthcare system, so that we can help more people and ultimately achieve the universal healthcare we aspire to,’ he added.
The following hospitals have already expressed their support for the program: Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Asian Hospital and Medical Center, and The Medical City Ortigas.
‘We started with St. Luke’s, and we will expand this further so that all our facilities-our healthcare facilities-are truly included in our programs,’ he added.