Collapsing health care system

The latest data from the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) showed that Filipino households still bear the brunt of health spending, accounting for more than half of total health expenditure in the country.

Between 2005 and 2007, total health expenditures grew from P198.4 billion to P234.3 billion. But this increase is merely nominal. At current prices, the growth rate of total health expenditure has in fact decelerated.

Private out-of-pocket spending reached P127.3 billion in 2007. State expenses on health, meanwhile, accounted for only 13 percent from the national government and 13.3 percent from the local government.

Even health expenditures from social insurance barely grew. It went up from P19.4 billion in 2005 to P20 billion in 2007, or a negligible 1.6 percent.

US President Barack Obama’s first solid achievement was the passage of the historic health care bill after a year of struggle, heated debate, and much political obstruction.

The trillion-dollar overhaul of America’s health care system aims to extend the coverage of 10 of millions of Americans who lack insurance. This galvanized President Barack Obama’s leadership, which kept true to its commitment.

Universal health care is the bridge that will finally close the wealth and income gap. By relieving thousands of families of the anxiety that comes with falling ill, it will be one of the most effective means to bridge the deep chasm between the rich and the poor.

In the Senate, I am pushing for a Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). It will expand the scope and coverage of PhilHealth by insuring children below 18 years of age, one of the most uninsured segments of the population.

It complements the existing PhilHealth, which I authored in 1995, by providing more than 14 million children from low-income families with a full range of health services like regular checkups, immunizations, prescription drugs, laboratory tests, X-rays, hospital, and clinic visits, durable medical equipment, hospital visits, even dental and eye care.

However, the first step to improving PhilHealth coverage is to unclutter our health system of the confusing statistics. PhilHealth at one time said coverage stands at 87 percent, and then another time said it’s 53 percent. The National Statistics Office, meanwhile, says it’s 38 percent.

With greater challenges faced by our health care system now, we need to assess PhilHealth’s responsiveness and fill the gaps in the delivery of health care.

We need to make our children not only dependents of health insurance but beneficiaries themselves. Through CHIP, the government can significantly increase its investments in health, thereby rescuing our young population from a health crisis.

Email: edgardo_angara@hotmail.com Website: www.edangara.com