ANGARA ON UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE: WITH MORE FUNDS COMES BETTER HEALTH SERVICE FOR FILIPINO FAMILIES

All Filipinos will get "bigger and better" PhilHealth benefits once the Universal Health Care (UHC) bill, which hurdled Senate-House reconciliation Tuesday, becomes law, Senator Sonny Angara said.

Angara, an author of the measure, said UHC will channel more funds "to all aspects of public health" from free check-ups and medicines to improved hospitals all over the country.

It is estimated that under the measure, more than P250 billion will be annually remitted to PhilHealth--from earmarked revenues like sin tax proceeds, casino dividends, and from intensified PhilHealth membership drive.

"With more funds comes better services from DOH facilities and higher benefits from PhilHealth. Kung may dagdag pondo, dapat may dagdag serbisyo at bagong benepisyo para sa pamilyang Pilipino," Angara said.

"Once the UHC law takes effect, PhilHealth should begin adjusting its packages. They should increase the reimbursable rates, commensurate to the increase in funds. So yung rate sa panganganak, hospitalization, operasyon, dapat taasan din. Pati mga gamot dapat libre na rin," he added.

Angara's father, the late Senate President Edgardo Angara, was the author of the law that created PhilHealth in 1995.

The lawmaker noted that hospitals, municipal health clinics and barangay health stations shall be modernized, adequately staffed, and stocked with proper equipment and supplies. "Kasi aanhin mo ang insurance kung wala namang magandang pasilidad na magagamit doon," he said.

The UHC law reiterates automatic PhilHealth membership for all without the need for an ID.

"Sa ilalim ng batas na ito, may dedicated na primary health doctor para sa lahat upang mapagtuunan ang preventive and promotive healthcare ng bawat isa. Bukod sa curative part, kasing halaga rin ang mga programa kung paano makakaiwas sa sakit at mapapanatiling malusog ang pamilya," Angara said.