DOH readies new rules for aid program Maifip

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) said the new guidelines for the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (Maifip) would be released in February.

“The guidelines will be based on the directive of President Marcos that guarantees letters from elected officials are no longer needed to foot the bill of patients in hospitals,” the DOH said in a statement on Saturday.

READ: Hontiveros tells DOH: Make new medical aid rules free of political favor

Under the new guidelines, the benefit coverage would be expanded to ambulatory care, ambulatory surgical clinics, eye centers, ophthalmology services, dental services, free-standing dialysis clinics, and Food and Drug Administration-approved medicines.

It would also include the 100-percent inclusion coverage of doctors’ professional fees in line with DOH guidelines. From P41 billion under the 2025 General Appropriations Act, the Maifip funding increased this year to P51.6 billion, which would serve as basis for the new guidelines set to be released by DOH before the end of next month. —PNA