President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has urged more private and specialty hospitals across the country to adopt the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) “No Co-Payment Policy,” aiming to ensure that underprivileged Filipinos can access quality medical care without facing financial ruin.
The Chief Executive made the call on Tuesday as he witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between PhilHealth and St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) – Global City, establishing zero-billing coverage for eligible PhilHealth members admitted to basic or ward accommodations.
The agreement was signed by PhilHealth Acting President and Chief Executive Officer Beverly Lorraine C. Ho and Senior Vice President Carlo Irwin Panelo, alongside St. Luke’s Medical Center President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Serrano and Senior Vice President and Medical Director Anthony Perez.
President Marcos hailed the partnership as a major step forward for the government’s Universal Health Care agenda, noting that fear of medical expenses often deters patients—particularly from indigent and vulnerable sectors—from seeking timely treatment in private institutions.
“Hindi na matatakot ang mga nagkakasakit na pumunta sa private hospital dahil wala silang pambayad. Ito’y napakalaking bagay at simula lang siguro ito (The sick will no longer fear going to private hospitals due to a lack of funds. This is a significant development, and it is likely just the beginning),” President Marcos said.
“We started with St. Luke’s, and we intend to expand this so that all our healthcare facilities are included in our programs,” he added, acknowledging that specialized care in private settings has long been out of reach for many Filipinos due to budget constraints.
Under the No Co-Payment Policy, eligible PhilHealth members admitted to ward accommodations in participating private hospitals do not have to pay out-of-pocket charges for covered medical services.
In an interview, PhilHealth’s Dr. Ho revealed that St. Luke’s has initially allocated 53 beds for eligible patients requiring specialized treatment, with at least 50 patients already accommodated under the zero-billing framework.
Following St. Luke’s lead, three other major private medical institutions, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Asian Hospital and Medical Center and The Medical City Ortigas, have also expressed support for implementing the policy.
The expansion into the private sector builds on the government’s Zero Balance Billing (ZBB) program, which currently provides free hospital services to ward patients across 79 Department of Health (DOH) hospitals and four government-owned and controlled health facilities nationwide.
President Marcos emphasized that the new strategic tie-up complements the administration’s broader healthcare initiatives, including the Electronic Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients program, PhilHealth’s YAKAP and GAMOT programs and the establishment of BUCAS Centers designed to deliver urgent and outpatient care directly to local communities.