It was in August 2018 that I fell in line to pay for my sister and her family's annual Philhealth contribution. I was glad to see hundreds of people who were there to invest in health insurance in exchange for good Healthcare benefits offered by the agency. As a healthcare worker, I have pledged not only to the healing of sick people but also to become an advocate for health promotion and prevention. That time, as I was seated on a chair to wait for my priority number to flash on the screen, I had a realization that people, no matter their economic status, are now becoming more aware of the advantages of having a healthy family that is free of illnesses and diseases and becoming a productive contributor in the society.
But how about those individuals or families without access to primary healthcare due to economic hardship? They may feel ineligible and intimidated by their Healthcare rights and remain vulnerable to health crises and threats. The current healthcare system often leaves these individuals behind, unable to afford the care they need. The Universal Healthcare Act aims to address these issues, ensuring that all Filipinos can access the healthcare they need regardless of their economic status.
Talking about the agency that has the mandate for its implementation, the Philippine Health Insurance Company or Philhealth will have to ensure the automatic eligibility and membership of all Filipinos regardless of social and economic standing, more excellent service for our less privileged families and individuals.
The Fight for Universal Healthcare
This new law is not just an achievement of the legislative and executive bodies but also a testament to the united efforts of all Filipinos who have long hoped for this initiative. We should all be proud of this collective achievement.
Just imagine how Western countries could give Universal Healthcare to their citizens, which started several years or decades ago, and why couldn't our government do the same? This has been a puzzle to other Filipinos who have witnessed the healthcare status in a foreign country, as well as me.
Now, our time has come, but the implementing rules and regulations of the new law have yet to be laid. We have to be aware of Healthcare coverage, how we can truly benefit from it, and when we will start to benefit from it.
Benefits of the Universal Healthcare Law
Philhealth can guarantee essential healthcare services exist, as well as premium contributors, indirect contributors, or indigents like our senior citizens and persons with disabilities and non-indigent or non-premium contributors. That would mean free consultation, laboratory tests, and diagnostic tests are among the essential services covered by everyone. Almost all scope of health includes preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative care, giving everyone holistic health and wellness.
Sustainable Healthcare development
Although we welcome the extraordinary healthcare measures, we have yet to experience how they will be delivered. The funding source has been determined, and the implementation of this new law will be gradual, considering that the funding will come from a pool of different agency funds.
The new law is very promising. However, we would also like to see its tremendous success and development from now and in years to come and not be exploited and mismanaged by our people in the healthcare authority.
Issues in the Philippine Health Insurance
Our National Health Insurance Company, Philhealth, and private Health Management Organizations (HMO) have been delivering their healthcare services in partnership with our Healthcare institutions, hospitals, clinics, and health centers nationwide. They have always been to the rescue whenever we seek medical help. However, their insurance coverage needs to be more comprehensive as they do not cover all health conditions and other health services. This has been a challenge for those who couldn't afford or have financial difficulty seeking medical attention.
While working at The Medical City in Iloilo, I learned about issues like non-payment or delay of payment of Philhealth for hospital claims to several member hospitals in the country. This would also cause a delay in the hospitals paying their medical providers. This has led to another issue: some medical providers would charge their clients an additional cash payment for a professional fee already covered by Philhealth. This issue happened to my sister, and she asserted her rights against the double charging of her provider. This scenario will cause the loss of confidence of other Philhealth members if such a case happens to them, which is against the primary goal of Philhealth's mandate to lessen the financial burden of Filipinos upon seeking medical treatment.
Continuous Healthcare reform
The Universal Healthcare law is a good start in providing healthcare access to all Filipinos. This measure will prevent anyone from being excluded and left behind in healthcare services due to poor economic status.
However, challenges in Government and corporate social service are still something Filipinos must fight to achieve better healthcare.
For Philhealth, may the agency uphold good governance and update its policies and coverage to package benefits that are not selective to a particular medical condition. This is a burden to the Filipino people because we do not choose the kind of disease once it strikes just to be covered by our insurance provider. We need to decide when to get sick and when to get treated. We don't select the end of our physical suffering and the end of our life.
We don't have control over our health crisis, but we can do something to promote it and prevent it so we will not suffer and pay for its consequences. We must take good care of our health to avoid illnesses and diseases. Though inevitable, we can help ourselves, our families, and our communities by choosing a healthy lifestyle away from too much stress and vices to achieve health and longevity, leading to the productive citizens we can be.
As we continue to contribute to nation-building, we have to be respectfully assertive of our healthcare bill of rights and, at the same time, supportive of our Government's mandate to provide better healthcare to All Filipinos so we can achieve wellness and live extraordinary lives.
© 2019 Del Cusay
As we continue to contribute to nation-building, we have to be respectfully assertive of our healthcare bill of rights and, at the same time, supportive of our Government's mandate to provide better healthcare to All Filipinos so we can achieve wellness and live extraordinary lives.
© 2019 Del Cusay