PhilHealth slammed over planned 18% coverage of hospital bills

The Manila Times

PhilHealth slammed over planned 18% coverage of hospital bills  Sen. Pia Cayetano criticizes PhilHealth for its plan to cover only 18 percent of hospital expenses by 2025, calling the target a 'joke' and a clear disregard for the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.  In an interview with Cebu media on April 4, 2025, Cayetano questioned how such limited support could help Filipino families, especially since PhilHealth has received more than P534 billion in sin tax revenues from 2014 to 2024. During Supreme Court oral arguments, Justice Jhosep Lopez pressed PhilHealth Senior Vice President Renato Limsiaco Jr. on the agency’s low target, prompting Cayetano to cite Lopez’s own case, where PhilHealth covered just 2 percent of his P7-million bill.   VIDEO BY KAISER JAN FUENTES  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe  Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net  Follow us:  Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook  Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram  Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter  DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion   Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital   Check out our Podcasts:  Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify  Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts  Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic  Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher  Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein  Soundcloud: https://tmt.ph/soundcloud   #TheManilaTimes #tmtnews #philhealth

Transcript

00:00So if I hear in the Supreme Court, the answer to the Supreme Court Justice

00:04that the goal is only 18% will be covered by PhilHealth,

00:07do you think it's a joke?

00:09Do you think it's a joke?

00:10Because what I want to hear is,

00:12we're at 50%, let's go to 75%,

00:16let's go to 95%,

00:17just say 99%,

00:19there's no problem with me that the person has a small contribution, right?

00:23If you're richer, you have a bigger contribution.

00:26It's hard, 100% should be covered by PhilHealth.

00:2918%.

00:31So I will give an example.

00:33I don't need to give an example, Justice Lopez

00:37gave an example of himself.

00:39He said that his illness reached 7 million.

00:43He said, how much is the coverage of PhilHealth?

00:47You, think about it, how much?

00:48So someone gave an estimate, maybe it's 10%.

00:51He said, no, it didn't reach 10%.

00:53PhilHealth's contribution is only 2%.

00:572%.

00:59So even if you go to a public hospital,

01:01there are really patients who are seriously ill.

01:04You will really reach, let's say, a million.

01:06This is another example.

01:07This is from us.

01:09He went to our office, it's very common,

01:11whether you're a mayor, a governor, a councilor,

01:14we, senators, go there,

01:16asking for help from his mother because his baby is 3 months old,

01:19he also has pneumonia in the hospital.

01:21The bill is 1 million.

01:23Do you know how much PhilHealth helped?

01:2725,000.

01:30So even assuming that the baby didn't reach 1 million,

01:34he reached 100,000.

01:36Where will you get 75,000?

01:39Even if you reach 75,000, where will you get 50,000?

01:43My God, PhilHealth, you are not doing your job.

01:47This is a joke.

01:48And I have been the vice chairman of the committee on finance of the Senate.

01:53It's like killing me softly, right?

01:56It's like, let's say,

01:59that PhilHealth is going to help our countrymen.

02:02No, no one will help you.

02:03It's just like that.

02:05So that's my very short reaction to PhilHealth.

02:10It hurts me because the fund is there.

02:13I am a sponsor of a syntax loan.

02:17We have a few syntax loans.

02:19Over the past, how many years?

02:22Hundreds of billions have been collected in syntax

02:27to fund PhilHealth.

02:29Where is it?

02:30So that's my short reaction to the situation.

02:37So amid all this, what is our message to our countrymen?

02:43Well, countrymen, I am sad.

02:45And I am with you in finding justice.

02:49Justice is in all aspects of life.

02:53We deserve justice.

02:55We deserve to have a food, shelter, and good health.

03:00Good health includes being able to afford expenses

03:04that the government is also there to help,

03:07especially for the poor.

03:09So my message is that I will not let go of this.

03:13How many years have I fought for tobacco companies,

03:17private groups, to get more funds for those who are sick?

03:24And I will continue to do that to make sure

03:27that Filipinos will get the kind of health care

03:30that they deserve.

03:31It's not an easy process.

03:32I am not the decision-maker here,

03:35but I am one of those who will try to make it.

03:47I am one of those who will try to make it.

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