11 Region 12 hospitals join PhilHealth No Balance Billing program

Eleven hospitals in Region 12 have agreed to participate in the No Balance Billing (NBB) program of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

Representatives of the 11 health facilities signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with PhilHealth Acting President and Chief Executive Officer Beverly Lorraine Ho on Wednesday, 4 November, in Koronadal City, allowing qualified members of the state insurer to avail themselves of NBB benefits at the participating hospitals.

The facilities are Allah Valley Medical Specialists Center Inc.; Dr. Arturo P. Pingoy Medical Center; Howard Hubbard Memorial Hospital; Dadiangas Medical Center; General Santos Doctors Hospital Inc.; St. Elizabeth Hospital Inc.; Tomboc-Salayog Hospital; Kidapawan Doctors Hospital Inc.; Kidapawan Medical Specialists Center Inc.; Anecito T. Pesante Sr. Memorial Hospital; and Mindanao Doctors Hospital and Cancer Center Inc.

PhilHealth said the MOA signing forms part of its efforts to ensure that qualified members and their dependents receive covered health services without additional out-of-pocket expenses, in accordance with the NBB policy and its implementing guidelines.

Under the NBB policy, qualified PhilHealth members and their dependents are entitled to covered hospital services without paying for basic or ward accommodation in government hospitals. In private hospitals, the policy covers 90 percent of basic or ward accommodation charges, with beneficiaries shouldering the remaining 10 percent, subject to applicable guidelines.

The NBB program is part of the Department of Health-PhilHealth Unified National Agenda (UNA), which aims to provide Filipinos with access to a wider range of health benefits.

PhilHealth said the MOA signing represents “a collective commitment to put patients first and help ease the financial burden of hospitalization among qualified Filipino families.”

“Through this partnership, PhilHealth and the participating hospitals reaffirmed their shared commitment to uphold the rights of qualified beneficiaries and ensure the proper implementation of the policy, particularly in providing financial protection to members availing themselves of covered hospital services,” it added.