House bill empowers patients to choose medical decision-makers

A new bill filed in the House of Representatives seeks to allow patients to designate who can make medical decisions on their behalf in case they are unable to do it themselves.

House Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal (ML) party-list Representative Leila De Lima has proposed House Bill 7068, or the “Right to Care Act,” to guarantee equal protection and address issues of discrimination in healthcare.

“The current state of Philippine law effectively alienates many adult Filipinos, such as solo parents, people in non-marital relationships, people from non-traditional households, and people in same-sex relationships, who often face discrimination and unfair treatment in health care settings and are denied access to information and decision-making processes involving the health care of their loved ones, despite shared lives and mutual caregiving responsibilities,” read the bill's exploratory note.

“This measure seeks to ensure that all Filipinos are able to receive the best kind of health care available to them by allowing them to have a choice in who they want to be making medical decisions when they are unable and to allow Philippine law to necessarily adapt and respond to the changing times and non-traditional contexts and relationships of Filipinos today,” it added.

HB 7068 mandates the government to recognize a person’s chosen “health care agent”—by submitting a Health Care Proxy—as a legally authorized representative, ensuring that their medical preferences and care are respected during times of incapacity.

Information about the Health Care Proxy will be reflected on a patient’s PhilHealth ID and logged into a Right to Care Registry under the Department of Health (DOH). 

The bill also states that health care practitioners will not be held liable for honoring the decisions made by health care proxies.

"We call on the House leadership and our colleagues in both chambers of Congress to act swiftly on this measure, promoting genuine equality, universal access to health care, and people-centered legislation,” De Lima said. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News