Lawmaker Urges DOH to Curb Doctors' Inflated Professional Fees

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker has urged the Department of Health (DOH) to establish mechanisms to prevent doctors from inflating their professional fees (PFs), citing constituent complaints that some are overcharging when services are covered by medical aid programs for the indigent and financially incapacitated. Parañaque Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan stated that the DOH must work towards greater transparency and accountability from doctors, especially concerning the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program. "We need to look at the transparency and accountability of doctors. The DOH should set up a mechanism to ensure that our fellow Filipinos are not placed in a precarious situation," Yamsuan said, following discussions on the DOH's proposed 2027 budget by the House committee on appropriations. The House Committee on Appropriations, through its Budget Amendments and Review Subcommittee (BARSc), is willing to assist the DOH in securing necessary funding for its programs. BARSc members have the authority to realign funds from various agencies towards high-priority programs. In the context of the 2025 budget deliberations for 2026, the subcommittee reallocated P255 billion from infrastructure funds to health, education, and social services. Yamsuan emphasized that while Congress will provide support, mutual cooperation is essential. "We in Congress, through BARSc and also at the bicameral conference committee (Bicam), will help you. We should be constructive and help each other," he added. Concerns have been raised about potential budget cuts impacting DOH programs in 2027. Health Secretary Edwin Mercado previously stated that the DOH and its attached agencies had proposed P837 billion, but only P353.8 billion was allocated under the 2027 National Expenditures Program (NEP), the budget prepared by the executive branch for congressional review. Programs that could be affected include the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), which received P14 billion against a proposal of P29 billion; hospital operations, facing an P11 billion cut; and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), allocated P73 billion instead of the proposed P379 billion. Despite these budget challenges, Yamsuan acknowledged that the DOH, under Secretary Mercado, has implemented a three-pronged approach to mitigate PF inflation, including expediting PhilHealth's reimbursement of doctors' fees. /cb