SENATE minority leader Franklin Drilon yesterday expressed opposition to the proposal of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to postpone the full implementation of the Universal Health Care Act due to a decline in premium collections brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Drilon said PhilHealth’s proposal “is a step in the wrong direction,” adding the full implementation of the UHC is critical in the fight against the deadly virus.
Drilon issued the statement after PhilHealth president Ricardo Morales said the state insurer’s revenue might decline by around P100 billion this year until 2024 due to non-payment of premiums by its members adversely affected by the virus.
Morales voiced out this opinion last Tuesday during a virtual joint congressional oversight committee hearing on the UHC law.
Drilon said there is a need to address PhilHealth’s “precarious position” for it to be able to sustain its funding but stressed it should not be at the expense of the people who rely on the UHC for their health needs.
He said the UHC seeks to address the weakness and inequity in the current health care system that was brought about by the pandemic.
He said neighboring countries like Singapore and South Korea have been winning the war against COVID-19 “precisely because of their effective universal healthcare coverage.”
“If COVID-19 taught us one thing, it is that we need to keep the people healthy and we have to prepare for the next pandemic. UHC is the key,” Drilon said.
He said postponing the full implementation of the UHC might discourage poor people from seeking hospital treatments or primary health care even if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
He said he will seek a higher budget for the implementation of the UHC in the 2021 national budget.
Sen. Christopher Go, Senate health and demography committee chair, said he will bat for additional budget for PhilHealth next year so it can subsidize the much-needed expenses to fully implement the UHC.
Go called on the country’s economic managers to find ways on how to increase PhilHealth’s budget for next year.
“We must do what we can to ensure that every Filipino can have access to universal health care for all,” Go said.