Universal Health Care law not set for 2020 nationwide roll out – DOH chief

by Pathricia Ann V. Roxas, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Aug 28, 2019

MANILA, Philippines – Health Secretary Francisco Duque III admitted on Wednesday that the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) law nationwide by 2020 is not possible due to lack of funding and preparedness.

Duque made the admission during the Department of Health (DOH) budget hearing before the House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee.

“The strategic readiness of the DOH in the implementation of the Universal Health Care year one is 2020, and it is a progressive realization [that] it cannot be a national roll-out, your honors,” Duque said, adding that the DOH has identified certain provinces that would be “models” for the implementation of UHC’s various components.

“I guess the keywords are progressive realization given that we cannot do a national roll-out because of budgetary constraints and also because of the readiness,” he added.

Duque said they still need to conduct “capacity building” in the different provinces, which, under Republic Act No. 11223, would serve as convergence points of integration for reforms in the health care system.

Among the components of UHC, he said, are service delivery, health regulation, health care financing, governance and performance accountability, and health systems development.

The Department of Budget and Management earlier said that some P166.5 billion was earmarked for the “full implementation” the UHC law under the 2020 National Expenditure Program.

Some P67.4 billion was allocated for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and P92.2 was set aside for the DOH.

While Duque admitted that the budget proposed for them would be “insufficient” for all the programs, he said they have other sources mandated by law like P40 billion from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., P1.5 billion from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and P67.5 billion subsidy from the national government.

About P257 billion would be needed to implement UHC in 2020, according to DOH.

Another target source of funding for the UHC is the proposed law on higher taxes on alcohol and vape products, which Congress has yet to pass.

READ: DOF warns of delay, health services cuts with House version of alcohol, tobacco tax
The cash-based new appropriations that DOH is requesting from Congress for 2020 is P88 billion, 5 percent less than its current budget.

Meanwhile, some lawmakers also questioned the DOH’s low disbursement rate of 61 percent or P67 billion in 2018. /gsg