Bill for mandatory PhilHealth coverage for seniors gains ground
MANILA, Philippines — A bill seeking to provide mandatory PhilHealth coverage to all senior citizens has gained ground in the House of Representatives.
This as the lower chamber approved on second reading House Bill 4593, which is a consolidation of all the bills for mandatory PhilHealth coverage for all senior citizens.
The House Committee on Populations and Family Relations, chaired by Biliran Representative Rogelio Espina, endorsed, sponsored and defended the consolidated bill for its passage.
It is expected to be approved on final reading next week.
The proposed measure would amend Republic Act 7432 as amended by Republic Act 9994, or known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.
One of the bill’s authors, Jerry Treñas, said the older law limits PhilHealth coverage to indigent senior citizens only.
“This bill aims to remedy this oversight by deleting the qualification of being an indigent in the concerned section of the law…” he said, noting that the bill would make PhilHealth coverage mandatory for all seniors.
“Being an indigent should not be a requisite for the senior citizens to avail of the mandatory free PhilHealth coverage,” another author Rep. Angelina Tan said.
The authors said the funds would be sourced from the National Health Insurance Fund of PhilHealth.
The authors of the bill included Rep. Tan (4th District, Quezon), Alfredo Vargas III (5th District, Quezon City) and Treñas (Lone District, Iloilo City).
“The measure will enable all our senior citizens to feel more secure during the remaining years of their lives because of the guarantee that they will have the access to medical and health services when need arises,” Tan said.
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