Pinoys shoulder 34%–44.7% of hospital expenses, says PhilHealth

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Wednesday said Filipinos shell out a significant amount in their hospital expenses despite expanded healthcare coverage under the Universal Health Care (UHC) law.

During a hearing of the Senate committee on government corporations, PhilHealth officer-in-charge Eli Dino Santos said that Filipinos who get hospitalized shoulder 34% to 44.7% of expenses out of their own pockets.

Santos cited the health insurer’s 2019 study.

The PhilHealth chief said that a typical patient shoulders 34% of their hospital bill.

This means, according to Santos, “for every P1 spending, the out of pocket is 34 centavos.”

“There’s also a report from the PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority)-Philippine National Health Accounts, our out-of-pocket is still at 44.7% based on our current health expenditure,” he said.

With this, Senator Joel Villanueva said that mechanisms should be in pace to lower the out-of-pocket hospital expenses of Filipinos.

The UHC law, signed into law in 2019, automatically enrolls all Filipino citizens, including overseas Filipino workers, in the state social health insurance PhilHealth, which will have expanded coverage to include free consultation fees, laboratory tests and other diagnostic services.

However, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who chairs the panel, said that “based on OCTA Research survey, 57% say they’re not members of PhilHealth. Why? Because they’re being asked to present an ID.”

Cayetano said there are some hospitals which still require PhilHealth ID as a proof of coverage.

For his part, Santos said the hospitals requiring PhilHealth IDs were done since only 90% of Filipinos are registered in the PhilHealth’s system.

The PhilHealth chief also reiterated the state insurer's assertion that it is financially stable and will last “forever.” — BM, GMA News