The government is now implementing zero-balance billing to ease the financial burden on patients who require medical care, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Monday.

“Itinuloy na po natin ang zero balance billing. Libre po,” President Marcos said in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered before a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“Ibig sabihin, ang serbisyo sa basic accommodation sa ating mga DOH na ospital wala nang babayaran ang pasyente dahil bayad na ang bill ninyo,” the President said.

The medical assistance is funded by the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), and by the allocation to DOH hospitals, the President said.

The assistance is in addition to the financial support from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

“Uulitin ko, wala nang kailangan bayaran ang pasyente basta sa DOH hospital dahil bayad na po ang bill ninyo,” President Marcos emphasized, drawing applause.

President Marcos said PhilHealth expanded and enhanced the benefits for heart and renal disease.

President Marcos also announced that PhilHealth now covers the costs of open-heart surgery, as well as heart valve repair or replacement.

For kidney transplant, the coverage limit was increased to PhP2.1 million from PhP600,000.

Moreover, PhilHealth now covers services and medication for post-operative kidney transplant.

For severe dengue cases, PhilHealth coverage was increased to PhP47,000, while the limit for cataract operation was adjusted to PhP187,000 from PhP16,000, the President said.

PhilHealth also pays for the therapy and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and their “assistive mobility devices,” defined as any device prescribed and adapted to improve safe and functional mobility towards social participation. | PND