Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Kittilstvedt Romualdez has expressed gratitude to her colleagues in the House of Representatives, particularly Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, for approving a measure granting mandatory Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to all persons with disabilities.
Romualdez, chairman of the House Committee on Accounts, co-authored House Bill 8014 or “An Act Providing For The Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage Of All Persons With Disability (PWD),” said she hopes the Senate will be just as enthusiastic as the House in promoting the welfare of the PWDs.
“We thank our colleagues for approving the measure that provides for the mandatory PhilHealth coverage for all registered PWDs. Voting for the measure proved their concern for the PWDs,” said Romualdez, a nurse.
Romualdez, wife of Philippine Constitution Association president and former Leyte congressman Martin Romualdez and vice chairperson of the House committee on government enterprises and privatization, said the bill’s enactment will surely help alleviate their conditions.
Last week, the House approved HB 8014 by an overwhelming 204 vote.
The bill, principally authored by Rep. Micaela Violago of Nueva Ecija, amends Republic Act 7277, as amended, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta For Persons With Disability.”
Republic Act 10645 provides mandatory PhilHealth coverage to all senior citizens.
Violago said that based on a World Health Organization article, people with disabilities, though having the same health needs as non-disabled people, have less access to health care services and therefore experience unmet health care needs.
“The article further states that evidence also suggests that people with disabilities face barriers in accessing the health and rehabilitation services they need in many settings. This should not be the case,” she said.
Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. of Ako-Bicol Party-list, also the bill’s co-author, said that based on the latest available data from the 2010 Philippine Census, almost 1.5 million household population in the country or about 1.57 percent had disability.
“This number is expected to have increased by 2015 Philippine Census data, if PWDs were not left out. While there are many PWDs employed, many are unemployed and are dependent on the income of other family members,” Garbin said.
The bill states that “All persons with disability (PWD) not currently afforded health insurance under any existing category shall be covered by the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).”
The bill provides the funds required for the effective implementation of the Act shall be obtained from the National Health Insurance Fund of PhilHealth earmarked from the proceeds of Republic Act No. 10351, otherwise known as “An Act Restructuring The Excise Tax On Alcohol And Tobacco Products” in accordance with pertinent laws and regulations.
The bill mandates the PhilHealth and the Department of Social Welfare and Development to promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the implementation of the Act within 30 days after its effectivity.