Over 1,100 Hospitals Still Lack Zero-Balance Billing in Philippines

Senator Pia Cayetano on Tuesday revealed that more than 1,100 hospitals nationwide have not yet offered zero-balance billing, a day after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lauded the program in his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA). "More than 1,100 hospitals do not have zero-balance billing," Cayetano said in her privilege speech, highlighting the challenges in achieving the full implementation of the program. Zero-balance billing is a scheme under the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) where the patient's out-of-pocket expenses are minimized to zero, with PhilHealth covering the costs. This is intended to alleviate the financial burden of healthcare, especially for low-income individuals and those with serious medical conditions. However, Cayetano's statement suggests that the program is not uniformly adopted across the country, with some hospitals still requiring patients to shoulder partial or full medical expenses. This points to existing disparities in access to healthcare services, both geographically and between different healthcare facilities. The issue is part of a larger concern regarding equitable access to healthcare in the Philippines. Affordability of medical services remains a significant challenge for many Filipinos, particularly in rural areas or economically disadvantaged communities where access to quality healthcare can be limited. Cayetano's remarks imply that further efforts are needed to promote the widespread adoption of this billing scheme. It is expected that the government and PhilHealth will need to encourage the remaining hospitals to implement zero-balance billing and provide necessary support to facilitate its adoption. Information Source: Inquirer NewsInfo