RECEIVED

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES]
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS.
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL noe079

Introduced by Rep. Winston “Winnie” Castelo

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The next time a poor individual goes to a public hospital, medical center or sanitarium, here
or she does not have to be surprised that the hospital or medical center or sanitarium will
‘only demand from him or her how much he or she can pay.

This “pay-what-you-can” shall be the new policy of government in order to actually assess
more objectively how well any public hospital, medical center or sanitarium has performed to
the optimum on its mandate of health care delivery.

Thus, this bill envisions that specialty hospitals, regional hospitals, medical centers and
sanitaria should implement this “pay-what-you-can” policy so that poor patients do not have
to worry about their treatment, confinement or hospitalization, and healing from their
illnesses. There are the following:

‘Amang Rodriguez Medical Center

Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital
East Avenue Medical Center

Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center
National Center for Mental Health
National Children's Hospital

. Philippine Orthopedic Center

. Quirino Memorial Medical Center

). Research Institute for Tropical Medicine
10. Rizal Medical Center

11, San Lazaro Hospital

12. Tondo Medical Center

CONOAARYON=

In addition to abovementioned list, the following shall also implement this “pay-what-you-
can’ policy, namely:

. Lung Center of the Philippines
National Kidney and Transplant Institute
Philippine Children’s Medical Center
. Philippine Heart Center
Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care

abonas

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“LF REPRESENT ATH vi


The whole rationale of this piece of legislative measure is anchored on the view that the
proposal while it sounds novel or bold is actually just a simple mechanism of check and
balance.

It is interesting to note that all the aforementioned hospitals, medical centers or institutes
enjoy government subsidies for them to carry out their mandated service related programs,
projects or activities to the extent that they are even receiving donations from various donor
institutions.

‘And another part of this check-and-balance mechanism is to check and count how much in
guaranty letters from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office go into the budgetary, fiscal
and management affairs of each of these hospitals, medical centers, institutes or sanitaria
such that their appropriated budgetary shares could have translated into-savings.—In

words, it is time to separate from apparent fiscal mismanagement the“grain from the cl
so that government could support them even more effectively ip’the overall health caré
delivery.

The immediate passage of this bill is therefore sought

WINNIE CASTELO


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
‘Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, 30°79

Introduced by Rep. Winston “Winnie” Castelo

AN ACT
INSURING THAT GOVERNMENT SPECIALTY HOSPITALS, MEDICAL CNETERS,
INSTITUTES OR SANITARIA EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT “PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN
POLICY” FOR POOR PATIENTS FOR THEIR TREATMENT, CONFINEMENT OR
HOSPITALIZATION, AND HEALING AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the “Pay-What-You-Can Hospital
Entitlement Policy Act of 2016”.

SEC. 2. Every poor patient seeking diagnosis, treatment and cure from disease of
illness shall be entitled to the policy of a government special hospital, medical center,
institute or sanitarium duly authorized to implement the new “pay-what-you-can" policy.

SEC. 3. Under this Act, the Department of Health in collaboration with the concerned
hospital, medical center, institute or sanitarium as well as with the Philippine Charity
Sweepstakes Office shall issue appropriate rules, regulations and guidelines to effectively
implement this “pay-what-you-can” policy as an entitlement of poor patients.

SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette and in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,