Roxas bats for universal health coverage for all Filipinos

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas yesterday proposed the coverage of all Filipinos under the National Health Insurance Program.

"Mahalaga ang kalusugan ng mamamayan. Dapat hindi lang ‘voluntary’ sa mga kayang nagbabayad ng premium ang coverage ng PhilHealth kundi sakop ang lahat (Our people’s health is important. PhilHealth coverage should not only be 'voluntary' on those who are paying premiums but to all Filipinos)," he said.

"Ngayon, nagkakaroon lang ng PhilHealth coverage ang mga indigent kapag kasama sila sa mga pinili ng mayor nila. Pero wala dapat pulitika pagdating sa kalusugan ng mamamayan (Now, indigents are covered by PhilHealth only when the mayors decide to include them in their lists. But politics should not be a consideration when it comes to our people’s health)," he stressed.

Roxas is proposing that all Filipinos should have a basic level of health care benefits to be provided by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. or PhilHealth. Such universal coverage will be funded by the National Budget through premium payments to PhilHealth.

"Dapat hindi pabayaan ng gobyerno ang kalusugan ng mamamayan. Ipaglalaban natin ito (The government should not neglect the health of all Filipinos. We will fight for this right)," he stressed.