“Gamot at pagpapagamot ng Pilipino, dapat sagot ng gobyerno!”

This was the rallying cry of Cong. Manoy Wilbert “Wise” Lee as he called for urgent amendments to the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Act, aiming to deliver more comprehensive PhilHealth benefits and reduce the financial burden of member contributions.

House Bill No. 10995, filed by Lee, seeks to address the gaps in the UHC Act, including the lack of periodic reviews of benefit packages, inefficiencies in fund management, and the impact of public health emergencies. “The UHC law promised a lot, but Filipinos still face the same fears of illness driving them to debt or poverty. Strengthening this law is crucial to reduce their health burdens,” Lee emphasized.

A key feature of the proposed measure is a directive for the Health Technology Assessment Council to periodically review PhilHealth benefit packages. Additionally, the bill proposes reducing the mandatory premium contributions for 2024 and 2025, deviating from the current law’s 5% rate to 4% and 4.25%, respectively.

Lee also highlighted the importance of empowering the President to suspend premium hikes during national or public health emergencies. “This measure ensures that the Filipino people won’t bear additional burdens during crises,” he said, underscoring his commitment to pushing for the bill’s swift approval.

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