Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No,__4235

Introduced by Honorable Rogelio J. Espina, M.D.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is a sign of a country’s
progress and development. It provides the much needed healthcare service for the

public at a much lesser cost.

However, despite the valour of the Philhealth Jaw, some services must
necessarily be added to improve it and to fully serve the public in accordance to
what is needed and being demanded.

Based on the present Philhealth law, the expenses for the medicines are
being reimbursed by Philhealth based on the coverage of the holder. In case the
expenses exceed the coverage, the same is no longer reimbursable. No question
that medicines from pharmacies in the hospitals are cheaper than those outside.
Apparently, however, medicines from hospital pharmacies are not enough for those
hospitalized, forcing them to buy medicines outside at a much higher cost. Such
fact diminishes the significance of the Philhealth law, which is to provide the
underprivileged an affordable healthcare service.

Hence, this bill seeks to establish or at least designate a Philhealth pharmacy
in every affiliated hospitals from both private and government. Not only to lessen


or hopefully to remove from the deprived public the burden of buying expensive
medicines and being reimbursed for less but also to cut short the process of
reimbursement. Thereby, making the Philhealth law more effective and more
efficient.

Early passage of the bill is, therefore, eamestly sought.

‘ RQGELTO J. ESPIBA
Representative
Lone District of Biliran


Fifteenth Congress
First Reguiar Session

HOUSE BILLNO.___ 4235

Introduced by Honorable Rogelio J. Espina, M.D.

AN ACT
AMENDING SECTION § OF REPUBLIC ACT 7875 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AN
“ACT INSTITUTING A NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR ALL
FILIPINOS AND ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE HEALTH INSURANCE
CORPORATION FOR THE PURPOSE”

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

ARTICLE 1
GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION. 1. Statement of Policy. — The State recognizes the vital role of
Philheaith in providing health and social services to the people at affordable cost. Thus
it is hereby deciared the policy of the State to provide an additional health service to
effectively and fuily perform its mandate and efficiently help the deserving public.

‘Toward this end, the principal! thrusts of this program under this Act shail be:

a) To include as one of the services of Philhealth the establishment of a Philheatth
Pharmacy in every Government affiliated hospitals or designate an existing hospital

Pharmacy to function as a Phithealth Pharmacy at the same time, thereby amending
Section 5 of RA 7875to read as follows:

“There is hereby created the National Health insurance Program which shalt

provide health insurance coverage and ensure affordable, acceptable,


available and accessible health cere services for all citizens of the
Philippines, in accordence with the policies and specific provisions of this
Act. This social insurance program shall serve as the means for the healthy
to help pay for the care of the sick and for those Medicare and be expanded
progressively to constitute one universal health insurance program for the
entire population. The Program shail include a sustainable system of funds
constitution, collection, management and disbursement for financing the
availment of @ basic minimum package and other supplementary packages
of health insurance benefits by a progressively expanding proportion of the
poputation.

This program will likewise include providing and dispensing drugs and
pharmaceuticals through a Philhealth Pharmacy, as the the Pharmaceutical
Law may allow. It shail be prohibited, however, from providing health care
directly, from employing physicians and other professionals for the purpose
of directly rendering care, and from owning or investing in health care
facilities, except the Phithealth Pharmacy”

SEC. 2. The Objectives of this act are as follows:

(a) To provide better, more extensive and more efficient services to the

holders and their dependents, and;

(b) To uphold its commitment to strengthen preventive and promotive health


SEC. 3. Period of implementation — The establishment and designation of
a Philheatth Pharmacy on every affiliated hospitals under this Act shall be implemented
cover a period of 1 year from the approval of this Act.

ARTICLE tI

SEC. 4. Appropriations -The computerization and establishment of Philheatth
Pharmacy shall be considered an administration cost, being necessary for the effective
management of the Program, which shall be charged to the funds under the
management and control of the Corporation.

ARTICLE tll - TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

SEC. 5. Effectivity — This Act shail take effect within fifteen (15) days after its

Publication in at least three (3) national newspaper of general circulation.

APPROVED.