Go wants PhilHealth card for all

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has filed Senate Bill No. 2983, seeking to mandate the issuance of a Philippine Health Card to all Filipinos to ensure seamless access to healthcare services under the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP).

The measure aims to address gaps in PhilHealth registration and strengthen the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.

Go emphasized the need for all Filipinos to have tangible proof of their PhilHealth membership, which will help facilitate the availing of benefits under the NHIP.

Based on PhilHealth data, all 112.89 million Filipinos are covered by NHIP, setting the coverage rate at 100 percent. However, as of the end of 2023, only 96 percent of Filipinos were formally registered with PhilHealth, leaving approximately 4.52 million individuals without proper documentation.

To address this, Go’s proposed legislation mandates PhilHealth to issue free health cards to all members of the NHIP. The health card will serve as an official identification document for healthcare services and benefit claims.

The bill ensures that the health card will be distributed in partnership with local government units and will not bear any partisan political features. However, the absence of the ID will not prevent any member from availing of PhilHealth benefits.

The proposed measure aligns with the constitutional mandate under Article XIII, Section 15, which states that the government must adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development. Go reiterated that this bill is a crucial step toward achieving a truly inclusive healthcare system in the country.