By Junex Doronio
APPARENTLY BELIEVING THAT HEALTH IS WEALTH, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has allocated over a hundred billion pesos under the proposed P5.768-trillion 2024 budget for the National Health Insurance Program of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) that will benefit approximately 12.75 million indigent members.
At the same time, the budget is aimed to help about 8.26 million senior citizens, over 15,000 financially handicapped point-of-service patients, 136,000 unemployed persons with disabilities, and 25,512 individuals as identified in the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) Peace and Development Program.
“Given the lessons from the pandemic, the Fiscal Year 2024 proposed budget will continue to strengthen primary healthcare facilities in the country, including medical assistance amounting to P22.26 billion to 1.31 million indigent and financially incapacitated patients who are unable to afford nor access quality healthcare services,” DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.
On Friday, the DBM said in a statement that the P101.51 billion allocation for the PhilHealth program was P1.28 billion higher than the current year’s allocation.
It explained that the increased budget for the National Health Insurance Program was made to “accommodate an expanded pool of beneficiaries and to double the annual premium rate for persons with disability (PWDs) from P2,400 to P5,000.”
According to the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law or Republic Act No. 11223, PhilHealth shall provide health insurance coverage and ensure affordable, acceptable, available, and accessible healthcare services for all Filipinos.
The 12.75 million indigent members will be identified by the National Household Targeting System under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
(ai/mnm)
