The Department of Health (DoH)will release new guidelines in February to reform its medical assistance program for indigent patients, specifically banning the use of “guarantee letters” from elected officials to settle hospital bills.

This, as the Health department explained that the transition follows a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to decouple political patronage from public health services.

The reform targets the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program.

Senator Risa Hontiveros recently called for clearer regulations to eliminate “patronage politics” and simplify the process for beneficiaries.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa stressed that since the program is funded under the General Appropriations Act, elected officials have no legal authority to interfere with the distribution of funds.

“When the fund is released, the job of the legislator is to monitor how it is spent,” Herbosa said.

He also clarified the legal nature of guarantee letters, noting that they have often been misused as political currency.

“A guarantee letter is a person’s promise to guarantee a hospital debt. If someone gives a guarantee letter, they should be the one to pay the bill personally,” he said, rather than using government funds as a private favor.

The DoH is also looking to expand the scope of the program. Under the proposed regulations, MAIFIP funds could soon cover ambulatory care, surgical clinics, eye centers, dental services, and free-standing dialysis clinics.

It is also recommending that the funds cover “zero balance billing” and FDA-approved medicines.

Herbosa cited that the assistance is intended for financially incapacitated patients in DoH hospitals as well as those in ward and semi-private accommodations in other facilities.