Duque: Universal Health Care funding gap down to P2B

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday said the P40-billion funding gap for the first-year implementation of the Universal Health Care Act has been significantly reduced.

"It's probably about P2 billion differential," Duque said during a press conference in Manila.

Senator JV Ejercito, principal sponsor and co-author of the newly-signed legislation, explained where the additional funds would come from to resolve the funding deficit.

"Aside from the P18 billion that was added at the Senate during the bicam budget deliberations, the restoration of the HFEP (Health Facilities Enhancement Program) maisasama na rin po natin and the HRH (Human Resouce for Health). Yung HFEP is about P15.2 billion and another P4.6 billion for the HRH, so a total of P38.8 billion. Isinasama rin po ito because that's part of the Universal Health Care program,"

The additional figures would raise the available funding for the UHC to P255.8 billion.

It has been initially reported that only P217 billion has been allocated for the measure in the proposed 2019 budget while the projected funding requirement for the first year of its implementation is P257 billion.

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) acting president and CEO Dr. Roy Ferrer reiterated that the proposal to impose higher sin taxes among tobacco and alcohol products would help sustain the implementation of the UHC.

"In the coming years, with the additional taxes that will be imposed for the cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, ang projection natin masu-sustain, aside from the GAA (General Appropriations Act), the budget coming from the DBM, 'yung premium collections na galing sa PhilHealth and other sources of funds, definitely masu-sustain natin ito even in the year 2027," Ferrer said.

Further, the Department of Health assured that though the initial funding requirement is not fully covered by the available appropriations, no health care service shall be compromised, especially those that should be given to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

"There will be no health services and no programs that will be sacrificed with the Universal Health Care Act. In fact, mas lalawak pa nga... tuluy-tuloy 'yun at pagagandahin pa nga 'yung mga package na 'yun because now mas assured 'yung funding," DOH Undersecretary Mario Villaverde said.

The DOH, Philhealth, and other stakeholders will be given 180 days to craft the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the new law. — RSJ, GMA News