House bill on PhilHealth coverage for PWDs approved on second reading

By Charmaine A. Tadalan
A bill seeking to provide mandatory Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) coverage of persons with disability (PWDs) has hurdled second reading at the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Sept. 5.
Voting viva voce, the chamber approved House Bill 8014, which will amend Republic Act 7277, “Magna Carta for Persons with Disability.”
Its counterpart measure, Senate Bill 1391, had been approved on third and final reading on July 30, 2018.
The measure seeks to introduce a new section in the law, which mandates that all PWDs shall be covered by the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) of the PhilHealth.
The funding will be sourced from the PhilHealth National Health Insurance Fund from the proceeds of Republic Act 10351, “An Act Restructuring the Excise Tax on Alcohol and Tobacco Products.”
Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel M. Batocabe, in his sponsorship speech, cited a report by the National Council on Disability Affairs which showed that there are 15 million Filipinos living with disabilities.
“The provision of accessible healthcare to Persons with Disability manifest the state’s resolve in achieving the development goals enshrined in the development agenda of the present administration,” Mr. Batocabe said, Wednesday.
“For this development goals to be realized there must be additional mechanisms that will ensure that PWDs who have been marginalized are able to access health care facilities and services and are afforded health insurance, which they deeply need,” he added.