Financial Risk Protection: A Brief Revisitation of Universal Health Care Act during COVID-19

Cahilig CJP

Published on: 2022-06-22

Abstract

The health status in the Philippines has improved over the last forty years: the infant mortality rate has dropped, the prevalence of communicable diseases has fallen, and life expectancy increased to over 70 years. However, inequities in health care access remain to be the problem in the health care system. High cost of accessing and using health care is the principal issue of inequity. The Philippine legislature created a national health insurance agency Phil Health in 1995 and increased population coverage, but the limited extent of coverage has resulted in high levels of out of pocket payments of the public. It is a mandate to the State to protect and promote the right to health of the Filipinos. Through the initiation and enactment of Universal Health Care Act, it seeks to realize universal health care in the Philippines through a systematic approach and a clear description of functions and responsibilities of the key agencies and stakeholders. The law ensures all Filipinos with guaranteed equitable access to quality and affordable health care goods and services and protection from financial risk. This paper aims to revisit the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act to emphasize the right to health as a matter of State interest and how does Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Phil Health) enacted UHC in the current pandemic response. The paper focuses on the UHC and national health insurance program of Phil Health’s financial risk protection management during COVID-19 situation.