DOH-supported proposed UHC amendments passes 2nd reading in House
DOH-supported proposed UHC amendments passes 2nd reading in House
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HOUSE PASSES ON 2ND READING DOH-SUPPORTED PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE UHC LAW
29 January 2024
Lifted from Dr. Herbosa's personal page:
With strong support from the Department of Health (DOH), the House of Representatives passed on second reading yesterday, 28 January 2024 House Bill (HB) No. 11357 containing a series of proposed amendments to the almost six year-old Republic Act No. 11223, also known as the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act. A Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priority measure, its counterpart Senate measure (Senate Bill or SB 2620) already passed the upper chamber on third and final reading last 27 August 2024.
Known as "An Act Strengthening the Philippine Healthcare System to Achieve Efficiency and Equity, and to Improve Public Health Emergency Preparedness," HB 11357 was authored and sponsored by Committee on Health Chair Rep. Ciriaco B. Gato, Jr., MD (Lone District of Batanes) along with 67 other co-authors. It consolidates 26 house bills filed on the same subject. Acting Committee on Appropriations Chair Rep. Stella Luz A. Quimbo, PhD (Second District, Marikina City) introduced 13 individual amendments to the measure on the floor, all of which the sponsor and the majority accepted.
Among the key features of the House-proposed amendments to the UHC Act are the following, among others:
• The premium contribution rates for all PhilHealth members will be set to 3.5% from the current 5% rate, and then will be adjusted on an annual basis based on actuarial studies to be reviewed by a non-government, impartial, and credible independent body and approved by Congress during the budget process;
• Migrant workers (whether land- or sea-based) will no longer have to pay any premiums, with their employers required to shoulder 50% of what their due is while the national government shoulders the rest;
• The administrative expenses including salaries of PhilHealth will now be a maximum of 7.5% of its total benefit payments from the previous year, instead of 7.5% of its total premium collections;
• Component cities and municipalities may now establish and/or maintain their own Special Health Funds, with guidelines to be developed by the DOH in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and a the UHC Coordinating Council (UHC-CC); and
• A new UHC Coordinating Council (UHC-CC) will be formed with existing officials as members, co-chaired by the Secretary of Health and the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, to intensify and expedite the implementation of UHC at both national and sub-national levels through policy discourse and operational collaboration.
"President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., himself being a former provincial governor, knows that the heart of UHC is where operations is. His broad national perspective rooted in local government implementation is what inspires the DOH as we actively support both the House of Representatives and the Senate in improving our UHC Act," said Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa. "I am particularly thankful for the amendment introduced by Rep. Stella Quimbo that will require PhilHealth to compute its budget and salaries based not on how much it will collect, but how much it will pay in benefits. We look forward to seeing this measure become law soon," the health chief added.
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Department of Health
Email: communication@doh.gov.ph
Mobile: +639273827512 (c/o Ms Arlene Arbas)
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