THE government has wiped out P95 billion in hospital bills for 1.6 million Filipinos through "zero balance billing" program, the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Healthcare Sector reported Thursday.
Following the 10th PSAC Healthcare Sector meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang, the council revealed that the massive coverage — achieved as of February 2026 — is part of a broader "practical" reform of the country’s health care system.
In a statement, PSAC Lead Convenor Sabin Aboitiz said the administration’s focus on stronger PhilHealth support and expanded medicine access is directly lifting the financial weight off Filipino households.
“What is important is that health care reforms are felt by Filipinos in practical ways,” Aboitiz said.
“The stronger PhilHealth support, faster reimbursements, broader coverage, and expanded access to medicines... are helping reduce the financial burden on Filipino families.”
The P95 billion in bill coverage was facilitated by 87 hospitals currently implementing zero balance billing.
Supporting this achievement is a 46-percent improvement in PhilHealth’s claims processing, which reduced the waiting time for hospitals from two months to just two weeks.
The council highlighted milestones as of May 2026, including the PhilHealth Gamot program, which dispensed P238.23 million worth of medicines through 2,026 accredited pharmacies.
The beneficiary reach surged by 65 percent compared to 2023, serving an additional 8.7 million Filipinos.
Over 171,000 beneficiaries have already availed of free medicines under the Gamot and Yakap initiatives.
Paolo Borromeo, president and CEO of Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc., noted that the P95-billion relief demonstrates the power of public-private collaboration.
“The progress in faster reimbursements, expanded coverage, and reduced out-of-pocket spending is already making a real difference in the lives of Filipino patients,” Borromeo said.
