PhilHealth members to get free admission to pay wards

MANILA, Philippines, February 10 ------ The Department of Health (DOH) will order state hospitals to apply the zero-balance billing policy to direct contributors of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) who will be admitted to pay wards. “There has been a wide clamor for PhilHealth’s direct contributors to be given this privilege. These are those whose PhilHealth premiums are directly deducted from their salary. They would want to have better hospital accommodation,” Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said.

Herbosa said President Marcos ordered him to modify the zero-balance billing policy to benefit the working class. “I will instruct DOH hospitals to allocate a special area for direct PhilHealth contributors. They will be given good accommodation that is air-conditioned,” Herbosa said.

Under the zero-balance billing program, patients admitted to basic accommodation will not pay for hospital services such as medical procedures, doctors’ professional fees and medications.

Source: philstar.com