Manila Bulletin
House panel approves bill seeking to establish the Malasakit program as a complement to UHC
House panel approves bill seeking to establish the Malasakit program as a complement to UHC
House panel approves bill seeking to establish the Malasakit program as a complement to UHC
Published Sep 18, 2019 03:40 pm
By Charissa Luci-Atienza
The House Committee on Health unanimously approved yesterday a substitute bill seeking to establish the Malasakit program and institutionalize the Malasakit Centers in public hospitals to complement the government’s implementation of its Universal Health Care program.
House of the Representatives (ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN / FILE PHOTO)
The House panel, chaired by Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan, passed the unnumbered substitute measure on the proposed Malasakit Program Act, which is a consolidation of 18 bills.
“We are not just institutionalizing the Malasakit Center, but the program itself,” Tan said.
“We want this Malasakit Center be institutionalized to complement the implementation of the Universal Healthcare Act,” she explained.
It was Cebu Rep. Emmarie "Lolypop" M. Ouano-Dizon, who moved for the approval of the substitute measure.
Before the panel approved the substitute measure, Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza, vice-chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, and Baguio City Rep. Mark Go, chairman of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, expressed strong reservations on the bill.
Daza said institutionalizing Malasakit Centers would only create “another bureaucracy.”
While Go questioned the feasibility and funding requirements of the Malasakit program.
“Are these things doable? It will create more expectations from the people,” he said.
“The expectations we create might create a lot of money. It will create more funding, maybe we should slow down,” Go said, noting that the nationwide implementation of the Universal Healthcare program is not expected next year because of lack of funding.
House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and wife, Tingog Sinirangan partylist Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, authors of the measure, said the proposed Malasakit Program Act "intends to reduce, if not eliminate, out of pocket expenditures of indigent and poor patients including non-medical expenses like transportation costs.”
“Malasakit Centers will also be a Health System Enabler to improve assessment for patient assistance and referral to provide much needed system support for patient navigation,” they said.
By the first half of 2019, there were about 34 Malasakit Centers all over the country, the Romualdezes noted.
The substitute bill calls for the establishment of the Malasakit Program to complement the implementation of the Republic Act 11223, otherwise known as the Universal Healthcare Act.
The Malasakit program seeks to provide a policy framework for integrated people-oriented approach in public hospital that shall promote "people-centered engagement that uphold compassion and empathy and ensure and promote an organizational culture geared towards safety, quality and responsiveness.”
The measure creates a Malasakit Program Office by converting, reclassifying and strengthening the existing Public Assistance Unit (PAU) of the Department of Health (DOH) into a Service Office, which shall be headed by a Program Director.
It tasks the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to ensure the creation of adequate and appropriate plantilla positions and staffing pattern for the Malasakit Program Office.
Tan noted that the Malasakit Centers, the “brainchild” of Senator Bong Go, shall serve as one-stop shop for medical and financial assistance not covered by PhilHealth benefits for indigent and financially incapacitated patients.
“It provides patient navigation and referral in accessing hospital services and medical and financial assistance,” she said.
The substitute measure provides that the medical assistance shall include medical services not covered or paid by PhilHealth benefits and shall be used for the following: laboratory, imaging and all other diagnostic procedures; drugs and medicines; supplies, orthopedic and assistive devices, prosthesis, blood and blood products; dental services, except those that are for aesthetic purpose and not medically indicated; medical and surgical procedures; prescribed post hospitalization rehabilitation services, aftercare program, appropriate mental and psychological support, including those done on an outpatient basis; all hospital bills including professional fees, and all other medical, health, documentary and related services billed by the hospital.
In case of non-availability of clinically indicated drugs, medicines, tests or services or procedures in government health facilities, the concerned government hospital may enter into contract with DOH-accredited private health facility to provide the needed drug, test service or procedure to the patient, charged against the hospital, the bill said.
House of the Representatives (ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN / FILE PHOTO)
The House panel, chaired by Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan, passed the unnumbered substitute measure on the proposed Malasakit Program Act, which is a consolidation of 18 bills.
“We are not just institutionalizing the Malasakit Center, but the program itself,” Tan said.
“We want this Malasakit Center be institutionalized to complement the implementation of the Universal Healthcare Act,” she explained.
It was Cebu Rep. Emmarie "Lolypop" M. Ouano-Dizon, who moved for the approval of the substitute measure.
Before the panel approved the substitute measure, Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza, vice-chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, and Baguio City Rep. Mark Go, chairman of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, expressed strong reservations on the bill.
Daza said institutionalizing Malasakit Centers would only create “another bureaucracy.”
While Go questioned the feasibility and funding requirements of the Malasakit program.
“Are these things doable? It will create more expectations from the people,” he said.
“The expectations we create might create a lot of money. It will create more funding, maybe we should slow down,” Go said, noting that the nationwide implementation of the Universal Healthcare program is not expected next year because of lack of funding.
House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and wife, Tingog Sinirangan partylist Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, authors of the measure, said the proposed Malasakit Program Act "intends to reduce, if not eliminate, out of pocket expenditures of indigent and poor patients including non-medical expenses like transportation costs.”
“Malasakit Centers will also be a Health System Enabler to improve assessment for patient assistance and referral to provide much needed system support for patient navigation,” they said.
By the first half of 2019, there were about 34 Malasakit Centers all over the country, the Romualdezes noted.
The substitute bill calls for the establishment of the Malasakit Program to complement the implementation of the Republic Act 11223, otherwise known as the Universal Healthcare Act.
The Malasakit program seeks to provide a policy framework for integrated people-oriented approach in public hospital that shall promote "people-centered engagement that uphold compassion and empathy and ensure and promote an organizational culture geared towards safety, quality and responsiveness.”
The measure creates a Malasakit Program Office by converting, reclassifying and strengthening the existing Public Assistance Unit (PAU) of the Department of Health (DOH) into a Service Office, which shall be headed by a Program Director.
It tasks the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to ensure the creation of adequate and appropriate plantilla positions and staffing pattern for the Malasakit Program Office.
Tan noted that the Malasakit Centers, the “brainchild” of Senator Bong Go, shall serve as one-stop shop for medical and financial assistance not covered by PhilHealth benefits for indigent and financially incapacitated patients.
“It provides patient navigation and referral in accessing hospital services and medical and financial assistance,” she said.
The substitute measure provides that the medical assistance shall include medical services not covered or paid by PhilHealth benefits and shall be used for the following: laboratory, imaging and all other diagnostic procedures; drugs and medicines; supplies, orthopedic and assistive devices, prosthesis, blood and blood products; dental services, except those that are for aesthetic purpose and not medically indicated; medical and surgical procedures; prescribed post hospitalization rehabilitation services, aftercare program, appropriate mental and psychological support, including those done on an outpatient basis; all hospital bills including professional fees, and all other medical, health, documentary and related services billed by the hospital.
In case of non-availability of clinically indicated drugs, medicines, tests or services or procedures in government health facilities, the concerned government hospital may enter into contract with DOH-accredited private health facility to provide the needed drug, test service or procedure to the patient, charged against the hospital, the bill said.