The Senate has included a provision in the proposed P3.35-trillion national budget canceling the need for patients seeking treatment in hospitals to present a Philippine Heath Insurance (PhilHealth) card as a condition for availing themselves of benefits from the state health insurer.
Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto said the scrapping of the “No PhilHealth ID, No Benefits” policy is one of the many provisions crafted by the Senate to guarantee universal health coverage.
Recto sponsored the budget provision which states that “in the attainment of universal coverage, no Filipino, whether a PhilHealth member or not, shall be denied of PhilHealth benefits. PhilHealth identification card is not necessary in the availment of benefits.”
The provision forms part of the 2017 General Appropriations Bill that President Duterte is expected to sign before the end of the month.
