Marcos wants more private hospitals involved in affordable healthcare

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday called for greater collaboration between the government and private hospitals to ensure wider access to affordable healthcare.

Marcos witnessed the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and St. Luke’s Medical Center–Global City aimed at strengthening the implementation of PhilHealth benefits.

“Ito ay para hindi na matatakot ang mga nagkakasakit na pumunta sa private hospital dahil wala silang pambayad. Ito'y napakalaking bagay at simula lang siguro ito," Marcos said in a media interview after the signing.

(This is so that sick people will no longer be afraid to go to private hospitals because they cannot afford to pay. This is a big step, and it is just the beginning.)

"St. Luke's ang nag-umpisa tayo sa St. Luke's at paparamihin pa natin ‘yan para lahat na talaga ng ating mga facilities, healthcare facilities, ay kasama na sa mga programa natin,” he added.

(We started with St. Luke’s, and we will add more hospitals so that all our healthcare facilities will eventually be included in our programs.)

Under the MOA, Marcos said PhilHealth and St. Luke’s would strengthen the implementation of the no co-payment policy, also known as the no balance billing policy. The policy ensures that qualified PhilHealth members can avail themselves of free basic ward accommodations at St. Luke’s.

In a separate media interview, PhilHealth Acting President and CEO Beverly Lorraine Ho said the new agreement would allow qualified PhilHealth members who need specialized treatment to avail themselves of select services at St. Luke’s.

“Tinutulungan po tayo ng St. Luke’s para mas makapag-serve ng maraming patients na hindi po sila kailangan magdagdag bayad,” Ho said.

(St. Luke’s is helping us serve more patients without requiring them to pay additional fees.)

Marcos said St. Luke’s was sending an important message by joining the agreement and helping expand healthcare access for PhilHealth members.

“For our healthcare system, it means bringing together the strengths of the public and private sectors to better serve more Filipinos,” Marcos said.— MCG, GMA News