THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) announced Saturday the expansion of benefit packages tailored for middle-income contributors.
The move follows a directive from Executive Secretary Ralph Recto urging the Department of Health (DOH) to enhance PhilHealth coverage for middle-income members.
Recto said the government seeks system-wide solutions to ensure the Zero Balance Billing (ZBB) policy in government hospitals is "genuinely felt" by Filipinos.
"Executive Secretary Recto suggested that direct members should receive better accommodations, perhaps basic rooms with air conditioning or a maximum of two patients per room," Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in a radio interview.
Herbosa added that if hospitals successfully implement zero-balance billing, the agency is considering further benefit increases.
"It’s a logical step to encourage LGU (local government unit) and private hospitals to adopt this practice," he said.
The initiative aims to provide enhanced healthcare services for employed and self-employed members who regularly pay premiums.
"For many years, we have been focusing on indirect contributors, or what we used to call the sponsored program," Herbosa said. "But in this new program, we can improve the services of our middle class."
Section 9 of the Universal Health Care Act mandates PhilHealth to provide additional program benefits to direct contributors.
Direct contributors include employed individuals and self-employed workers.
Indirect contributors, such as indigents and senior citizens, are covered by government subsidies.
